Pentagon Loan Backs Tennessee Battery Materials Plant
Owners and buyers of electric vehicles should watch whether this domestic battery supply project keeps its funding and timeline.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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The Department of Defense has conditionally approved a $250 million loan to 6K, a 12-year-old battery startup based in North Andover, Massachusetts, to build a battery materials factory in Tennessee. The loan follows the cancellation of a $50 million Department of Energy grant the company received in 2023.
Why it matters
For households tracking electric vehicle costs, the news signals that domestic battery material supply is being pursued through new channels after a federal grant was pulled, a shift that could influence future EV battery pricing and availability. The company's microwave-based process is designed to avoid Chinese suppliers, a factor that matters as supply-chain policy shapes what goes into the batteries powering EVs on U.S. roads.
The Department of Defense conditionally approved a $250 million loan to 6K, which will fund a factory in Tennessee. The company previously received a $50 million Department of Energy grant in 2023, which the Trump administration canceled.
The players
6K
A 12-year-old battery startup based in North Andover, Massachusetts, that uses a microwave-based process to produce battery materials.
Department of Defense
The federal department that conditionally approved the $250 million loan to 6K for battery materials production.
Department of Energy
The federal agency that awarded 6K a $50 million grant in 2023, a grant later canceled.
The details
6K's manufacturing process uses microwaves to heat metals into a plasma, which is then deposited onto a surface, and the company says this reduces the number of steps needed to make cathode material. The process is designed not to rely on Chinese suppliers. The factory was originally slated to open in 2024, but the grant cancellation and uncertainties in the EV market forced the company to rejigger its plans.
Timeline
2023: The Department of Energy awarded 6K a $50 million grant, which was later canceled.
2024: The factory was originally scheduled to open.
November 6, 2026: 6K announced the conditional Pentagon loan approval.
The Home Front
The loan comes after the canceled 2023 Department of Energy grant, a funding change that reshapes the company's domestic battery materials plans. The episode reflects how shifting federal support is affecting the EV battery supply chain that feeds vehicle prices.
If you are planning an EV purchase, it is worth watching how domestic battery material projects like this one progress, since supply changes can affect future vehicle pricing. Keep any vehicle purchase documentation and warranty information on file, and consult a licensed dealer or financial advisor before making a buying decision based on these developments.
The takeaway
Federal battery funding is shifting from grants toward loans, which can change which projects get built and when. Watch for the final loan closing before assuming the Tennessee factory timeline is settled.
Further reading
For more on how battery supply decisions are shaping the market, see Electric Vehicles coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechCrunch.
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