This month, The Western Way had the pleasure of partnering with Dragonfly Energy to host a tour of their Reno-based manufacturing facility for a group of Nevada elected officials, including the Lieutenant Governor. The visit offered a firsthand look at one of the most compelling examples of what homegrown energy innovation looks like in the American West — and why Nevada is emerging as a national leader in advanced energy manufacturing.
American-Made, Nevada-Built
Dragonfly Energy is headquartered in Reno and has been designing and manufacturing advanced lithium battery technology in the Silver State since 2012. The company operates nearly 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space in South Reno, where it produces lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs under its well-known Battle Born Batteries® brand — along with pioneering work on solid-state battery technology and a patented dry electrode cell manufacturing process that is more efficient, less energy-intensive, and more environmentally friendly than conventional methods.
This isn't a company importing components and slapping on a label. Dragonfly Energy is doing the full spectrum of work — from cell-level R&D to battery pack assembly to complete power system integration — right here in Nevada, with American workers. The company holds approximately 100 granted, filed, and pending patents, has sold over 400,000 battery packs, and counts some of the biggest names in the RV, marine, and heavy-duty trucking industries among its OEM partners.
What the Tour Showed
Walking the manufacturing floor, our group of elected officials saw cutting-edge battery assembly lines, quality control systems, and R&D operations that are pushing the boundaries of domestic battery production. Dragonfly's team walked attendees through the real-world applications of their technology — from powering recreational vehicles and off-grid homes to providing all-electric auxiliary power units for long-haul trucking fleets, reducing fuel waste and emissions while improving driver comfort.
The conversation didn't stop at the technology. It extended to what these operations mean for Nevada's economy: good-paying manufacturing and engineering jobs, workforce development partnerships with institutions like the University of Nevada, Reno and Truckee Meadows Community College, and a growing ecosystem of suppliers and collaborators building out the state's battery supply chain.
Nevada's Lithium Loop
Dragonfly Energy is a key player in what's known as the Nevada Lithium Loop — an ambitious effort to build a complete, closed-loop lithium economy within the state, from extraction and processing to manufacturing and recycling. The initiative, supported by the federal Nevada Tech Hub program, positions Nevada as a globally competitive center for critical minerals and battery production. Dragonfly has been selected for two consecutive rounds of Nevada Tech Hub funding — including a recent $527,000 award to expand in-house cylindrical cell prototyping and advanced testing capabilities — reinforcing the company's role at the center of this growing innovation ecosystem.
This is the kind of market-driven energy development that The Western Way champions across the West. No mandates. No government-directed picking of winners. Just private capital, entrepreneurial vision, and smart public investments in workforce and infrastructure coming together to create an industry that strengthens grid reliability, supports the rural economy, and keeps America competitive in the global energy storage race.
Why It Matters
Energy storage is one of the critical missing pieces in America's energy future. As demand surges from data centers, population growth, electrification, and reshoring of domestic manufacturing, the ability to store and manage energy reliably is becoming just as important as the ability to generate it. Companies like Dragonfly Energy — designing and building that storage capacity on American soil, with American workers and American intellectual property — are exactly the kind of success stories that policymakers should be paying attention to.
We are grateful to the Dragonfly Energy team for their hospitality and for showcasing the kind of homegrown innovation that makes Nevada a national leader. The Western Way is proud to connect elected officials with the people and companies that are building the West's energy future — one factory floor, one breakthrough, and one good-paying job at a time.