[Bojo, Battery] Korea's 4680 Cylindrical Battery, Mass Production Countdown

LG Energy Solution to Start 4680 Mass Production Next Month
Samsung SDI to Begin Production Next Year, One Year Ahead of Schedule
SK On Also Developing Cylindrical Cells

Editor's Note'Bojo, Battery' is a series that takes a closer look at the battery industry, which has emerged as the center of next-generation advanced industries. It examines the agile movements, strategies, and conflicts among governments and companies worldwide aiming to dominate the battery manufacturing ecosystem. We will also cover the technological competition to create safer and longer-lasting batteries. We aim to serve as an 'assistant' to help readers and investors better understand the battery industry. We will share battery stories that are easy to approach.

Employees at LG Energy Solution's Ochang plant are showcasing the cylindrical batteries developed by LG Energy Solution. Photo by LG Energy Solution

Domestic production of the 4680 (48mm diameter · 80mm height) cylindrical battery has entered the final countdown.

According to the industry on the 31st, LG Energy Solution will start mass production of the 4680 cylindrical battery next month at the Ochang Energy Plant. It will be the first among the three major domestic battery companies to begin mass production of the 4680 cylindrical battery. The production capacity of the line is about 9GWh per year.

Jung Geun-chang, Vice President of LG Energy Solution, said at the recently held 'SNE Battery Day 2024', "There is a next-generation battery in the 46-pie series that can be used in cylindrical batteries. We are coordinating the mass production timing according to customer demand," adding, "With the shift from 21-pie to 46-pie, we can supply various size products." LG Energy Solution plans to produce cylindrical batteries not only starting mass production at its mother factory in Ochang but also at its sole plant in Arizona, USA. The target for mass production is 2026. The Arizona plant is known to have a production capacity of 36GWh. One GWh of battery capacity can supply about 12,000 electric vehicles.

The 4680 cylindrical battery is a new standard next-generation battery called a 'game changer' in the battery industry. In September 2020, Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced the 4680 battery at Battery Day. It is a cylindrical battery with a diameter of 46mm and a length of 80mm, featuring five times the capacity and six times the output compared to the existing 2170 (21mm diameter · 70mm length), and extends driving range by 16% compared to the previous model. Cylindrical batteries have standardized sizes, making them advantageous for mass production. Another advantage of cylindrical batteries is their ability to disperse risk even if power is cut off or a fire occurs. Currently, Tesla manufactures the 4680 cylindrical battery in-house and equips it on the Cybertruck. However, due to low mass production yield rates and related cost issues, there are forecasts that Tesla will rely on LG Energy Solution or Panasonic, which will start mass production of the 4680 battery in September.

Samsung SDI has advanced the mass production schedule of the 46-pie (diameter) battery, originally targeted for 2026, by one year and plans to start mass production early next year. Although not for electric vehicles, it has already secured supply destinations. Jo Han-je, Vice President of Small Battery Strategic Marketing at Samsung SDI, said during the Q2 earnings conference call, "Development and preparation for mass production of the 46-pie battery are progressing smoothly," adding, "Recently, we secured the first micro-mobility project and plan to start mass production early next year. Although it is not an electric vehicle project, advancing mass production by more than a year compared to the original plan is significant."

He continued, "We are actively discussing projects with major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), and based on our differentiated technologies accumulated over a long period, such as energy density and fast charging, we expect to achieve visible results in a short time."

Latecomer SK On has also started developing cylindrical batteries. Earlier this year at the CES exhibition in the United States, then Vice Chairman Choi Jae-won of SK On personally announced plans for cylindrical battery development and mass production. Vice Chairman Choi said, "We have been developing cylindrical batteries for quite some time," adding, "We have already completed prismatic battery development and are currently working on cylindrical battery development." SK On has not yet specified the mass production timing for cylindrical batteries but plans to decide comprehensively considering customer demand and other factors.