Korean EV battery makers to unveil tech for industry recharge

South Korea’s three major electric vehicle battery makers are gearing up to invigorate the global green car market with new technologies they will unveil at an industry show in Seoul this week.

LG Energy Solution Ltd., SK On Co. and Samsung SDI Co. plan to showcase a new cell design, faster-charging batteries and a solid-state battery production plan, respectively, at the InterBattery 2024 trade show from Wednesday to Friday.

Some 580 companies from 18 countries are scheduled to demonstrate their technologies at the show, co-hosted by the country's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Battery Industry Association.

The global battery industry is struggling to deal with slower growth in the world’s EV market.

CTP DESIGN

LG Energy, the world’s third-biggest EV battery maker, said on Sunday it is set to unveil its cell-to-pack (CTP) design, a manufacturing process used to create lithium-ion battery packs by directly integrating individual battery cells into the pack without using module-level electronics.

CTP technology is in the spotlight in the global EV battery sector for its ability to improve energy density while reducing battery weight and cost.

LG Energy’s CTP for pouch batteries enhances cell stiffness with light weight and improves stability with proven heat transfer prevention technology The technology also cuts manufacturing costs by reducing the number of parts and simplifying processes, thus increasing price competitiveness.

LG Energy also plans to introduce an advanced battery management system (BMS) at the show. A BMS is an electronic system that manages a rechargeable battery by protecting the battery, monitoring its condition, calculating and reporting secondary data, controlling the battery's environment, authenticating it and/or balancing it.

The new system manages the entire life cycle of batteries based on existing BMS functions, as well as safety diagnosis and status prediction software customized for each battery, cloud services and future mobility solutions.

The company is set to exhibit Isuzu Motors Ltd.’s first electric commercial vehicle equipped with LG Energy’s cells, modules, packs and BMS.

LG Energy is also poised to showcase new businesses including the integrated management of renewable energy power grids of Avel, LG Energy’s company-in-company.

CHARGING SPEED MATTERS

SK On, the world’s fifth-largest battery maker, plans to unveil fast-charging batteries and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) models for cold weather.

The subsidiary of Korea’s top energy company SK Innovation Co. is set to showcase an advanced version of its Super Fast (SF) Battery.

SK On's SF Battery, introduced in 2021, can be charged to 80% of cell capacity from 10% in 18 minutes.

The advanced model of the high-nickel battery to be unveiled at this week’s show has a 9% higher energy density with the same charging speed. The company also plans to introduce the SF+ Battery, which can be charged in 15 minutes.

SK On is also scheduled to exhibit an LFP battery with better cold-weather performance. The mileage of EVs using LFP batteries usually drop by 50-70% when driven in temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. The company increased energy density by 19% to boost charging and discharging capacities by 16% and 10%, respectively, compared with existing LFP batteries.

In addition, SK On plans to showcase its technology in cathode active materials manufacturing including a method that does not use water, its chemistry diversification strategies and form factors.

The company will also unveil its first energy storage system (ESS).

SOLID-STATE BATTERIES

Samsung SDI is set to unveil its schedules for mass production of solid-state batteries, a game changer in the EV sector while presenting plans for sixth-generation batteries and beyond.

Solid-state batteries are touted as “dream batteries,” which the global cell industry is scrambling to develop because of their improved safety and higher energy density than lithium-ion models.

Samsung SDI, the world’s No. 7 battery maker, is poised to showcase integrated ESS solutions and ESS modules for households.

It will also display a lineup of cylindrical batteries with diverse specifications.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
 
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.