K-Battery Powers Through Downturn with ESS, Robotics, and AI... Full Lineup at InterBattery 2026

Samsung SDI booth at ‘InterBattery 2025’ held at COEX, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on March 5, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News

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Despite facing a chasm-a temporary stagnation-in the electric vehicle market and uncertainties in the global trade environment, Korean battery companies are unveiling a wide range of next-generation advanced products expected to lead the future market at Korea's largest battery exhibition. These domestic companies are expanding their reach into diverse sectors such as energy storage systems (ESS), artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, humanoid robots, and drones, reaffirming their commitment to overcoming the downturn in the electric vehicle market.

‘InterBattery 2026,’ Korea’s largest and most prominent international battery exhibition, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association, COEX, and KOTRA, opens on March 11, 2026, and runs for three days at COEX.

This year’s event brings together 667 companies from both Korea and abroad across the entire battery value chain-including the three major Korean battery makers, as well as materials, parts, and equipment companies-to showcase the latest battery products and technological achievements. This year, the exhibition further solidifies its status as an international event by attracting government agencies, research institutes, and companies from 14 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, and the Netherlands.

Key topics at the event include discussions on Korea-US battery technology cooperation in the defense sector, business networking between Korean and German battery researchers, and supply chain cooperation on critical minerals with Australia.

At this year’s InterBattery, the battery industry is presenting ESS-which is rapidly growing thanks to the expansion of renewable energy and the shift to AI-as a key alternative to address short-term market changes, such as the slowdown in electric vehicle demand. Industry players are also set to share their ESS business expansion strategies and related technology development trends.

LG Energy Solution is unveiling, for the first time, the ‘JF2 DC Link 5.0’ ESS for power grids, as well as lithium iron phosphate (LFP)-based JP6 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) racks and battery backup unit (BBU) solutions for data centers. Samsung SDI is presenting its Samsung Battery Box (SBB) product, an ESS solution equipped with AI diagnosis features. SK On is introducing an ESS container based on LFP pouch cells.

Next-generation technologies that could transform the future battery industry-such as all-solid-state and sodium-ion batteries, and silicon anode materials-are also highlighted, alongside key technical directions for enhanced safety, including thermal runaway mitigation, structural design, and materials innovation.

Samsung SDI is unveiling a next-generation prismatic battery-the first prismatic cell to simultaneously achieve ultra-high energy density of 700 watt-hours (Wh)/L and high output of 400W. The company is also presenting its ‘super battery,’ which enhances both performance and safety through fast charging and thermal runaway prevention technologies. SK On will introduce the industry’s first large-area cooling pouch cell-to-pack (CTP) technology, as well as next-generation thermal management solutions that use immersion cooling systems in high-nickel battery packs.

POSCO Future M is showcasing ultra-high-nickel and mid-nickel cathode materials, natural and artificial graphite anode materials, and motor cores-key high-energy-density materials that support autonomous driving and long-range travel. The company is also presenting its progress in developing long-life cathode and anode materials for data centers, cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries, and silicon anode technology.

EcoPro plans to highlight its comprehensive portfolio, from high-nickel cathode materials to lithium manganese-rich (LMR) and sodium-ion battery cathode materials, as well as materials based on direct LFP synthesis methods.

L&F is revealing, for the first time, the development status of its third-generation and ultra-high-density LFP cathode materials. Korea Zinc intends to showcase its core material supply capabilities for electric vehicles and ESS, with demonstrations and presentations of copper foil production technology through its subsidiary KZAM.

This exhibition will also explore the potential for battery applications in new industries such as defense, robotics, and urban air mobility (UAM). Batteries are expected to prove that they are more than just components-they are driving forces for new growth industries. LG Energy Solution is emphasizing the broad applications of batteries for both household and industrial use, featuring its humanoid robot ‘Cloid’ and autonomous robot ‘Carti100.’

This year’s event also features programs to strengthen practical business connections and the industrial ecosystem. The three major battery companies’ purchasing teams will participate directly in collaborative procurement consulting sessions to support materials, parts, and equipment companies entering the supply chain. Venture capital (VC) invitation IR pitching events will provide startups with investment opportunities. In addition, the Battery Job Fair will offer all-in-one employment support packages, including one-on-one intensive job mentoring.

At the opening ceremony, Vice Minister Moon Sinhak emphasized that batteries are “the heart of high-tech industries” and stated, “The government will actively support K-batteries so they can maintain their leading position.” Vice Minister Moon also announced plans to activate demand at the upstream level by expanding the ESS market and introducing a battery leasing system, to strengthen the domestic production base by implementing a battery production tax credit, and to establish a ‘battery triangle belt’ connecting key minerals, materials, and mother factories, thereby aiming to make Korea a global hub for battery manufacturing.

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