Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is QuantumScape Stock Still a Solid EV Battery Bet at 52-Week High?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Key Takeaways

  • QuantumScape shares have soared over 200% in 2025, hitting a 52-week high of $15.92 on Friday.
  • Deal with Volkswagen extends QS' funding runway into 2029 and strengthens its finances.
  • QS' COBRA process boosts productivity 25x, moving B1 samples closer to 2026 vehicle testing.

Solid-state electric vehicle (EV) battery innovator QuantumScape Corp. (QS - Free Report) has made impressive strides this year— from expanding its partnership with Volkswagen (VWAGY - Free Report) to advancing its Cobra separator process and forging other key alliances. The market has taken note. So far in 2025, the stock has surged over 200%, more than doubling in just the past month. It hit a 52-week high of $16.49 on Friday and closed the session at $15.92.

YTD Price Performance Comparison

Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Given this remarkable rally, investors are left wondering— is it worth holding out for more upside, or is now the time to lock in profits?

Tailwinds Driving QS Stock Rally

QuantumScape’s surge is backed by meaningful progress on the business and technology front.

In July, the company deepened its partnership with Volkswagen to accelerate the development of its QSE-5 pilot line in San Jose. Under the new agreement, Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary PowerCo will provide up to $131 million in milestone-based payments over the next two years. This adds to the $130 million already committed under a previous licensing deal, extending QuantumScape’s cash runway into 2029, about six months longer than previously expected. CFO Kevin Hettrich believes these milestone payments will also help narrow net losses and strengthen the company’s financial position.

Beyond Volkswagen, QuantumScape is expanding its customer reach. It recently signed a joint development agreement with another major global automaker. This reinforces industry confidence in its solid-state battery technology and marks a step closer to commercialization.

The progress was on display at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, where QuantumScape and PowerCo unveiled a Ducati V21L motorcycle powered by the company’s QSE-5 cells. Built using its COBRA process, these cells showcased exceptional performance—844 Wh/L energy density, 10–80% charging in just over 12 minutes, and the ability to handle 10C continuous discharge.

The COBRA process itself is a breakthrough, delivering 25 times the productivity of its older Raptor process and 200 times the output compared with early 2023 levels. With the final shipment of Raptor-based B0 samples completed, QuantumScape is now preparing B1 samples—built with COBRA—for real-world vehicle testing in 2026.

QuantumScape Corp. Image Source: QuantumScape Corp.

In addition, a new partnership with Corning Inc. aims to co-develop ceramic separator manufacturing capabilities, a key step toward scaling up production for commercial applications.

Last but not least, the U.S. government’s efforts to strengthen the domestic lithium supply chain are likely to benefit QuantumScape. As the company relies heavily on lithium, a shift toward domestic sourcing might lower material costs and reduce supply chain risks for the company.

Estimates & Broker Ratings for QS Stock

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for QuantumScape’s 2025 and 2026 bottom line suggests year-over-year improvement of 17% and 12%, respectively.

QuantumScape currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 3.44 on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by nine brokerage firms. 

Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

QuantumScape is Worth Holding Onto

While QuantumScape remains a pre-revenue company, its recent progress underscores that it’s far more than just a speculative EV battery play. The combination of strong technological advancements, an extended funding runway through 2029 and deepening industry partnerships—notably with Volkswagen and Corning—adds substance to its long-term story.

Yes, the stock has already seen an impressive rally this year, and trading at a 52-week high may not make for the best new entry point. However, for existing investors, the growth potential and industry validation make a strong case for holding onto QS. If QuantumScape can successfully scale its technology and deliver on its milestones, the upside could be significant in the coming years.

QS stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Volkswagen AG Unsponsored ADR (VWAGY) - free report >>

QuantumScape Corporation (QS) - free report >>

Published in