Hungarian researchers have achieved a breakthrough in battery technology with a patented product that is now ready for scaled-up manufacturing, former president Janos Ader announced at a conference on February 26. The technology, dubbed ONLi, developed by Hungarian startup Edortech Ltd., is a revolutionary metal-alloy-based anode layer that was proven by indepent audits to improve the performance of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries two-fold.

Researchers at the state-owned Bay Zoltán Research Institute achieved the result over a decade of work, focusing on anode development rather than cathodes, Ader said in his presentation at the Planet Budapest 2026 Expo and Conference, the largest sustainability expo in the region.

"Testing is complete. This is no longer an idea but a patented product ready to be manufactued in scale. We are at the threshold of global recognition," said the former president, known for his passion for green and sustainability issues.

The product offers higher energy density, greater safety, lower costs, environmentally friendly production, longer lifespan, and compatibility with existing manufacturing processes, he continued.

ONLi is a non-powder, solvent- and binder-free anode system that can provide up to 70% higher energy density and 1.8 times the capacity compared to conventional graphite or Si-C anodes, Edortech said on its LinkedIn page.

Edoretch CEO Adam Vida said the product has every potential to set a new direction in battery development and also touched on the geostrategic aspects.

"The question of energy is no longer merely technological; it impacts industrial independence and national decision-making," Vida said. He emphasised that failing to participate in shaping key technologies means having to adjust to decisions made elsewhere.

Vida, who is also head of research at Bay Zoltan Research Institute, said ONLi simplifies production by eliminating multiple energy- and material-intensive steps and enables faster, more environmentally friendly manufacturing. The technology requires significantly less energy and water, and independent audits have also verified the products' benefits.

The ONLi anode technology promises higher energy density, safer, faster charging, and compatibility with existing manufacturing processes.

The research on this topic started in 2010, inspired by a doctoral thesis exploring the potential advantages of anode technology, which was considered a novel concept at the time

The technology can be applied to batteries used in EVs, consumer electronics, and grid-scale energy storage. Vida highlighted that ONLi-equipped vehicles could travel twice as far on the same charge or maintain current range with half-sized batteries. The product could also work in the next generation of battery cells.

A key advantage of the technology is its compatibility with existing battery production lines, enabling manufacturers to integrate it without significant process changes. The CEO emphasized that Edortech is not a cell manufacturer, as it specialises in a single component of the battery, but is prepared to supply the material to major industry players, including CATL.

Edortech, founded in 2023, plans to raise capital to build a new plant with a 1,000-ton production capacity in 2-3 years as it has already reached the highest level of technological readiness. The company is in talks with leading automotive companies, including Tesla, which has shown strong interest in the Hungarian-developed tin-anode samples.

Edortech has a team of 21 employees, the majority of whom are engineers, with a small number of administrative staff.

During the Q&A session, the Hungarian representative of the Chinese giant, speaking in a personal capacity rather than on behalf of the company, congratulated Edortech on the investment and said the technology could widely benefit the entire battery manufacturing sector.

At the panel discussion following the presentation, Adam Vida, CTO Gyorgy Balint Lak and Shmuel De-Leon, founder and CEO of Shmuel De-Leon Energy Ltd, a leading battery energy expert, discussed challenges facing the global battery industry.

De-Leon said the sector is experiencing a significant crisis in Europe, North America, and East Asia due to the slowdown in e-mobility. Chinese manufacturers, which account for 65-70%  of global lithium-ion battery production, expanded capacity in recent years, but demand fell short of expectations, triggering a price war and intensifying competition.

De-Leon said the technology developed by Edortech could also address the challenges facing the global battery manufacturing sector, especially in Europe. Industry players were baffled by the scale of the product's benefits, he added. 

"I see no obstacle to manufacturing these materials in gigawatt-hour volumes in Hungary for the global industry in the coming years," he added at the panel discussion.