Ten-Nine Technologies Moves TENIX Cathode Additive to Commercial Production in Oklahoma

Ten-Nine Technologies has transitioned its TENIX cathode additive to commercial-scale production at a facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, marking a significant step in its effort to extend the lifespan of electric vehicle batteries without requiring hardware redesigns.

What Happened

TENIX is a cathode additive blended into battery materials during manufacturing at a concentration of 0.5–2% of the cathode’s weight. According to the company, this amount equates to roughly 0.5–2 kg for every 100 kg of cathode, which is approximately the amount of cathode material found in a typical EV battery pack. The company states that the additive integrates into existing cathode production lines, meaning manufacturers can adopt it without installing new equipment or redesigning their battery systems.

The Tulsa facility currently has a rated production capacity of 100 tons. This volume is sufficient to treat between 50,000 and 200,000 typical EV packs. Ten-Nine is currently accepting orders for delivery in 2026 and 2027 and is engaged in evaluation trials with battery manufacturers that collectively represent more than half of the world’s battery production volume.

Why It Matters

In third-party testing, TENIX reportedly delivered over 75% more charge-discharge cycles, extending a typical EV battery’s life from a 150,000-mile warranty baseline to more than 265,000 miles. This extension reduces the cost per kilowatt-hour delivered over the battery’s lifetime by approximately 40%. Additionally, the additive results in 10% lower internal resistance, which facilitates faster charging and reduces energy loss as heat.

The technology is particularly relevant to the industry’s potential shift toward manganese-rich cathodes, which are cheaper and more abundant than the cobalt- and nickel-heavy chemistries currently dominant in EV batteries. Manganese is mined across Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. However, poor cycle life has historically hindered the adoption of manganese-rich cathodes. Ten-Nine positions TENIX as the solution to this specific limitation, suggesting the additive could reshape the global cathode supply chain in a manner similar to the rise of LFP chemistry.

The Bottom Line

Ten-Nine Technologies has established commercial production of TENIX in Tulsa, offering a drop-in solution to extend EV battery life and improve charging efficiency. With capacity for 50,000 to 200,000 packs and active trials with major global battery manufacturers, the company aims to support the broader adoption of manganese-rich cathodes by addressing their primary weakness: cycle life.