Supercars, Trucks, Electric Cars... Inside Them, the 'Dream Battery' Solid-State Technology

InterBattery 2022 Opening

LG Unveils Hummer Truck, First Large Electric Vehicle
Samsung Showcases BMW i4 PRiMX Battery, First Domestic Reveal
SK Presents Ferrari Hybrid Battery

On the 17th, the General Motors (GM) Hummer truck equipped with LG Energy Solution's high-quality nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) quaternary battery, displayed at LG Energy Solution's exhibition hall at 'InterBattery 2022' held at COEX, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Moon Chaeseok)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The core of 'InterBattery 2022,' Korea's only secondary battery exhibition, was 'Electric vehicles on the outside, all-solid-state batteries on the inside.' The three major companies?Samsung, SK, and LG?all showcased complete vehicles equipped with their own batteries as 'hardware.' They also detailed the technological level of all-solid-state batteries, the key 'software' component inside.

The opening ceremony of InterBattery 2022, held on the 17th at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was crowded from the opening at 10 a.m. This year marks the 10th edition of the event, with about 250 participating companies setting up around 700 booths. Over three days until the 19th, more than 30,000 visitors, including buyers and the general public, are expected to attend. LG Energy Solution (540㎡), Samsung SDI (540㎡), and SK On (450㎡) all established the largest booths.

All three companies prominently displayed their electric vehicle models at the venue. LG exhibited General Motors (GM)'s Hummer truck and Tesla's Model Y, both equipped with high-quality nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) quaternary batteries; Samsung showcased the new BMW i4 electric vehicle fitted with its PRiMX Gen5 battery; and SK presented the Ferrari PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) model SF90 Spider equipped with a compact hybrid battery of about 7.9 kW. LG's Hummer truck was significant as it was the first 'mid-to-large' electric vehicle displayed at InterBattery. According to GM, it delivers a maximum output of 1,000 horsepower and can travel up to 350 miles (approximately 563 km) on a single charge.

Samsung SDI, after developing its own battery brand 'PRiMX' for the first time in the industry, showcased it for the first time in Korea at the 'InterBattery 2022' exhibition on the 17th. The photo shows Moon Seung-wook, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (left), and Choi Yoon-ho, President and CEO of Samsung SDI (right), listening to an explanation about the PRiMX Gen battery series. (Photo by Moon Chae-seok)
Samsung SDI

Samsung's BMW i4 is a new model set to be released domestically on the 28th, capable of traveling 378 to 429 km on a single charge. Both Samsung's PRiMX battery brand and the BMW i4 were unveiled for the first time in Korea on this day, attracting attention. SK optimized its compact product for hybrid vehicles, maximizing initial acceleration performance to suit the characteristics of supercars. An industry insider said, "We aimed to increase interest by exhibiting electric vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries currently sold in markets such as the U.S.," adding, "This is a great opportunity to show the world that high-quality batteries can be applied to various electric vehicles, from compact to mid-to-large sizes."

Not only the exterior (electric vehicles) but also the content (all-solid-state batteries, fire prevention technology) was substantial. In addition to the three battery companies, material and equipment firms such as POSCO Chemical were busy emphasizing that the commercialization plans for the so-called 'dream battery,' the all-solid-state battery, scheduled for 2026?2027, are not just dreams but 'reality.'

LG, the only domestic company developing both 'polymer-type' and 'sulfide-type' all-solid-state batteries, confidently presented its all-solid-state portfolio. The polymer type targets commercialization by 2026. The sulfide type was jointly developed with UC San Diego and has been published in the journal Science. The 'Long Cell,' which enables 'over 500 km driving range on a single charge,' also attracted attention. It is described as a product that improves energy density by 16% and driving range by 20% compared to existing products. Samsung, after announcing the groundbreaking of a roughly 6,500㎡ (about 2,000 pyeong) all-solid-state battery pilot line (demonstration production line) three days prior, revealed its 'all-solid-state battery roadmap' at InterBattery. It addressed visitors' questions about the PRiMX Gen5 used in BMW and the currently developing Gen6 all-solid-state battery.

On the 17th, at the InterBattery 2022 exhibition, a Ferrari PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) model SF90 Spider equipped with an SK On battery was displayed at the InterBattery exhibition. (Photo by Moon Chae-seok)

SK introduced its thermal barrier technology 'S-Pack,' which contributed to preventing fires despite installing 300 million battery cells in electric vehicles. This reiterated their existing strategy emphasizing 'battery safety.' Among material companies, POSCO Chemical attracted attention by introducing 'single-particle high-nickel cathode material' technology, which combines raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese into a single particle structure to help extend battery lifespan, alongside materials for all-solid-state batteries. Lee Myung-gyu, director of the Korea Battery Industry Association, which organized the event, said, "We prepared to allow visitors to experience the latest innovative battery trends in one place," adding, "It will be an opportunity to confirm the competitiveness of domestic battery companies with world-class technology."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.