LG Energy Solution "Commercializing Dry Coating Technology by 2028... Manufacturing Cost Down 30%"

Replacing Existing Wet Processes with High Energy Consumption and Severe Environmental Pollution

LG Energy Solution has announced its goal to commercialize the dry coating technology, known as a 'game changer,' by 2028.

Kim Jeyoung, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of LG Energy Solution, said in an interview with Bloomberg on the 4th that a pilot production line for the dry coating process will be completed in the fourth quarter, and full-scale production will begin by 2028. This is the first time LG Energy Solution has disclosed the timeline for commercializing the dry coating process.

Kim CTO estimated that the dry coating process could reduce battery manufacturing costs by approximately 17 to 30%. He said, "Among competitors in the dry coating field, LG Energy Solution is the best," adding, "We started 10 years ago."

A view of LG Energy Solution Ochang Energy Plant in Cheongju, Chungbuk [Photo by LG Energy Solution]

This technology is related to the manufacturing of cathodes and anodes, which are core components of batteries. It aims to replace the existing wet process, which consumes a lot of energy and causes severe environmental pollution. Tesla and Samsung SDI are also investing efforts in this technology.

Tesla, a leading company in the electric vehicle sector, acquired a startup with this technology in 2019 and has attempted to apply it to the production of the '4680' battery used in the Cybertruck, but success has so far been limited.

Volkswagen is developing the dry coating method through its subsidiary PowerCo. Since it can reduce energy and space usage by 30% and 50%, respectively, compared to the wet process, the technology is also regarded as a 'game changer.'