Galvion launches rechargeable battery for use in Arctic conditions

Galvion has announced the launch of its new Nerv Centr SoloPack Arctic, which is the first product to emerge from its collaborative partnership with South 8 Technologies, announced in November 2025, which focused on applying South 8’s LiGas cell technology to Galvion’s field-proven SoloPack battery family for extreme-cold environments.

The battery integrates South 8’s ARCTIC AE35 18650 cell, powered by the company’s proprietary LiGas liquefied gas electrolyte technology.

The AE35 cell is engineered to deliver power across a temperature range of -60°C to +60°C (-76°F to +140°F), extending lithium-ion performance into extreme-cold environments where conventional battery technologies can be significantly constrained, while maintaining capability across the full high-temperature operating range.

Why reliable energy sources are essential for operational readiness in the Artic

As modern military operations become increasingly dependent on powered equipment — including communications, navigation, sensing and situational-awareness systems — reliable energy has become mission-critical. Extreme cold adds another layer of complexity, making power performance and resilience an important component of Arctic operational readiness.

SoloPack Arctic builds on Galvion’s proven original SoloPack battery, retaining the familiar 98Wh, lightweight form factor while extending its capability for operations in extreme cold. At just 1.2 lbs (544 g), with an energy density of 178 Wh/kg, SoloPack Arctic provides a compact, soldier-worn power solution designed to integrate easily with existing equipment and power-management systems.

Galvion says the AE35 cell also offers advantages beyond its extended temperature range. In cell-level ballistic penetration testing, South 8’s ARCTIC cells have demonstrated the ability to evacuate electrolyte following penetration, reducing burn duration to seconds at the individual cell level and reducing the risk of propagation to adjacent cells. This characteristic offers a potential benefit for soldier-worn power applications across operating environments, not only in extreme cold.

Field evaluations in operationally relevant extreme cold conditions

Initial quantities of SoloPack Arctic will be deployed in a number of upcoming US Army field evaluations, including US Army DEVCOM and International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR)’s Operation Mjölnir, providing opportunities to evaluate performance in operationally relevant extreme cold conditions.

Jonathan Blanshay, Founder and Executive Chairman of Galvion, said: “Arctic readiness is becoming an increasingly important requirement for the US and allied forces and reliable power is fundamental to operating effectively in those environments.

“Extreme cold exposes the limitations of equipment that performs well under normal conditions, so we need to ensure that the technologies soldiers depend on are ready to perform wherever the mission takes them. SoloPack Arctic reflects our approach to capability development: identify a real operational challenge, bring together the right technologies and partners and deliver a practical solution for the warfighter.”