What A123 Systems makes

A123 Systems designs and manufactures automotive lithium-ion batteries, with a deep specialty in low-voltage systems for hybrid and conventional vehicles. Its core chemistry is lithium iron phosphate, marketed under the Nanophosphate and UltraPhosphate names, alongside a 7-series NMC ternary line for higher-energy applications. The company positions itself as a leader in the 12V and 48V segment, and its own materials say low-voltage systems command close to half of that global market.

The product range spans three families. Low-voltage automotive batteries include a 12V Premium 60Ah unit certified to ASIL D with on-board diagnostics and over-the-air support, plus 12V 40Ah and 20Ah variants, a 24V 80Ah commercial pack, and 48V systems in 8Ah, 20Ah, 37Ah, and 80Ah configurations for mild hybrids, e-axles, and heavy-duty industrial use. High-voltage battery packs serve battery-electric and plug-in hybrid programs, and the company builds batteries for Formula 1 racing. A stationary line covers residential, industrial, and grid-scale energy storage, including a containerized, immersion-cooled system shown as the AEnergy 850. These products sit alongside broader EV battery and original equipment manufacturer supply work.

Financial performance

A123 Systems does not publish standalone audited financials. It is a subsidiary of the privately held Wanxiang Group, and its results are consolidated inside that group rather than reported separately. Data brokers model annual revenue near $500 million and a worldwide workforce around 2,000, figures that should be read as estimates rather than reported numbers. The company does disclose scale on the technology side: more than 903 authorized patents and 645 original inventions, over 1,000 research and engineering staff, and more than $700 million in cumulative research investment, per its own About page. For buyers weighing total cost of ownership, the absence of published segment financials is the normal condition for a conglomerate-owned supplier and is not itself an adverse signal.

Ownership and history

A123 Systems was founded in 2001 as a spin-out from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulop, built on nanoscale lithium iron phosphate work. It grew into a NASDAQ-listed battery maker, took a $249 million U.S. Department of Energy grant in 2009, and opened what was then North America's largest lithium-ion plant in Livonia, Michigan in 2010. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 16, 2012, and its assets were purchased by China's Wanxiang Group for $256.6 million on January 28, 2013. Wanxiang merged the operation with its Wanxiang Yineng power-battery unit to form Wanxiang A123 Systems Corp. The prior AONE stock listing did not survive the restructuring.

Today the group's global corporate headquarters is in Hangzhou, China, while the North American operation runs from Novi, Michigan, at 27101 Cabaret Drive, an engineering, sales, and R&D center. A Boston-area R&D center staffs roughly 100 scientists and engineers, and in February 2026 the company acquired a 115,000-square-foot technology and laboratory facility at 10 Corporate Drive in Burlington, Massachusetts for about $20 million. In February 2025 it appointed the advisor JLL to secure a third North American site for manufacturing. Named leadership on the company's own releases includes Dr. Fanqun Li, General Manager, and Manuel Spitzlay, who leads sales and customer engagement for North America.

Certifications and quality

A123 describes itself as certified to the automotive quality standard TS-16949, the predecessor of IATF 16949, and to ISO 9001. Its flagship 12V Premium 60Ah battery carries an ASIL D functional-safety rating, the highest automotive integrity level, which is consistent with supplying safety-relevant vehicle systems. The company does not post dated certificates on its public site, so these are reported here as current claims rather than verified certificate cycles. The 12V Premium 60Ah was also a finalist for a Battery Manufacturer of the Year award at The Battery Show North America in 2025.

Known customers

A123's documented programs skew toward major automakers, though most current contracts are not individually disclosed. General Motors is on the public record through the Chevrolet Spark EV, and the company supplied Daimler buses and the Fisker Karma earlier in its history. Its own descriptions name BMW and Mercedes-Benz among served automakers, and trade press has reported a large 48V mild-hybrid supply contract with the SAIC-GM joint venture. As with most tier suppliers, the live customer roster is confidential; what is documented is a track record of qualified OEM battery programs rather than a full current list.

Recent news

February 2026 — A123 acquired a 115,000-square-foot technology and laboratory facility in Burlington, Massachusetts for roughly $20 million, expanding U.S. research across advanced materials and next-generation chemistries (company announcement and Boston real-estate coverage).

October 2025 — The company showed its low-voltage electrification portfolio, including the ASIL D 12V Premium 60Ah battery, at The Battery Show North America in Detroit, where that product was named a Battery Manufacturer of the Year finalist (company announcement).

February 2025 — A123 appointed JLL to identify and secure a new U.S. manufacturing facility, a third North American site alongside Novi, Michigan and the Boston area (company announcement).

Sourcing evidence

A123's U.S. import record reads the way a cell maker's should. Customs bill-of-lading data shows 865 sea shipments tied to its Michigan operation, with the most recent recorded in December 2025. The top foreign shippers are cathode and materials suppliers, including Johnson Matthey and the separator maker W-Scope in Korea, along with intra-group flows from Wanxiang A123's Asian plants and its China materials arm. That is a materials-in pattern, the signature of a manufacturer feeding domestic assembly and testing rather than a distributor importing finished goods.

These are U.S. ocean-freight records only. Air, truck, and rail movements do not appear, some records name freight intermediaries rather than manufacturers, and product categories come from declared manifest codes, which are noisy. Absence of a record is not evidence of absence.

Frequently asked questions

What does A123 Systems make?

A123 Systems makes automotive lithium-ion batteries, with a specialty in low-voltage 12V, 24V, and 48V systems for hybrid and conventional vehicles. It also builds high-voltage packs for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, Formula 1 racing batteries, and grid and industrial energy-storage systems. Its core chemistry is lithium iron phosphate, sold under the Nanophosphate and UltraPhosphate names.

Who owns A123 Systems?

A123 Systems is a subsidiary of China's Wanxiang Group, which bought its assets out of bankruptcy in 2013 for $256.6 million and operates it as Wanxiang A123 Systems Corp. The company was founded in 2001 as an MIT spin-out and was previously an independent, NASDAQ-listed business before its 2012 Chapter 11 filing.

Where is A123 Systems located?

A123's North American operation is headquartered at 27101 Cabaret Drive in Novi, Michigan, an engineering, sales, and R&D center. It runs additional R&D near Boston, including a 115,000-square-foot lab in Burlington, Massachusetts acquired in 2026. The Wanxiang A123 group's global corporate headquarters is in Hangzhou, China.

What is A123 Systems' annual revenue?

A123 Systems does not publish standalone audited revenue, because its results are consolidated inside the privately held Wanxiang Group. Data brokers estimate annual revenue near $500 million and a workforce of about 2,000, but these are modeled figures rather than reported numbers.

Who are A123 Systems' customers?

Most of A123's current contracts are confidential, but its documented programs include General Motors through the Chevrolet Spark EV, plus historic work for Daimler buses and the Fisker Karma. The company names BMW and Mercedes-Benz among served automakers, and trade press has reported a 48V mild-hybrid supply contract with the SAIC-GM joint venture.

What certifications does A123 Systems hold?

A123 Systems describes itself as certified to the automotive quality standards TS-16949 (the predecessor of IATF 16949) and ISO 9001. Its flagship 12V Premium 60Ah battery carries an ASIL D functional-safety rating, the highest automotive integrity level. The company does not post dated certificates publicly, so these are reported as current claims.

Last verified September 27, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.