The Electric: Enovix Lays Off 185 Employees and Shifts Most of Its Operations to Malaysia

By

Steve LeVine

 |  Oct. 5, 2023 4:30 AM PDT

Photo: Enovix CEO Raj Talluri. Photo: Courtesy Enovix

Silicon battery developer Enovix this week laid off 185 engineers and other staff at its Fremont, Calif., factory as it shifted the bulk of its operations to Malaysia, close to the smartphone manufacturers that it hopes will buy its cells.

The moves, announced Tuesday, reflect a reality in the rapidly growing lithium-ion battery industry, which is that—given the weight and bulk of battery cells—battery and battery component manufacturers are likely to migrate as close as they can to raw materials, labor and customers. In practice, this likely means that the nascent U.S. battery supply chain will primarily serve North America, and China, the world’s largest market for electronics and electric vehicles, will continue to be the largest battery manufacturer.