'Record-Breaking Scale' InterBattery 2025 Opens
Kim Dongmyung of LG Energy Solution: "Expecting First-Mover Advantage in the U.S."
Choi Juseon of Samsung SDI: "Secured Customers for 46-Series"
Um Kicheon of POSCO Future M: "Expanding Cathode Material Shipments"
Many visitors are lining up to enter 'InterBattery 2025' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 5th. 2025.03.05 Photo by Yoon Dong-joo
Domestic battery companies, facing a triple challenge of the electric vehicle chasm (temporary growth stagnation), China's low-price offensive, and the launch of Donald Trump's second administration, expressed confidence as they forecast a recovery in performance starting from the second half of this year.
Kim Dong-myung, CEO of LG Energy Solution, told reporters at the 'InterBattery 2025' event held at COEX in Seoul on the 5th, "After hitting the bottom in the first quarter, market conditions will improve from the second half," adding, "Now is the time to prepare well for the future market to be organized and demand to increase."
CEO Kim highlighted the intellectual property (IP) secured by LG Energy Solution as a new weapon. He emphasized, "We hold the most intellectual property rights in the industry and will utilize them well to create a competitive advantage over Chinese companies." Regarding the recent tariff policies of the Trump administration, he responded, "I fundamentally understand it as a policy to encourage domestic production in the U.S.," and added, "Since we have many factories in the U.S., I think we might have a first-mover advantage."
On the 5th, LG Energy Solution's 46 series battery was unveiled at 'InterBattery 2025' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 2025.03.05 Photo by Yoon Dong-joo
Choi Ju-seon, CEO of Samsung SDI, also said, "The first quarter was the bottom, and recovery seems to be gradually starting from the second quarter," adding, "We have secured customers for the 46-series cylindrical battery and will soon begin mass production." Park Ki-soo, head of R&D at SK On, stated, "We have completed the development of prismatic batteries and are focusing company-wide efforts to secure customers."
Um Ki-cheon, newly appointed CEO of POSCO Future M, said, "Although electric vehicle production has decreased due to the chasm, we have set a higher shipment target for cathode materials than last year," adding, "Thanks to the projects we have prepared, we will increase production volume." Choi Moon-ho, CEO of EcoPro BM, said, "The development results of sulfide-based all-solid-state electrolytes, which we have been promoting for three years, are good, and mass production is expected by the end of 2026."
InterBattery 2025, held until the 7th, features a record participation of 688 companies. Seventy-nine Chinese companies, including BYD, the world's number one electric vehicle manufacturer, and EVE Energy, ranked ninth in global battery shipments, have set up booths to engage in a technological showdown between Korea and China.
On the 5th, BYD's cylindrical battery was exhibited at 'InterBattery 2025' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 2025.03.05 Photo by Yoon Dong-joo
LG Energy Solution will unveil the 46-series cylindrical battery with higher energy and output compared to the existing 2170 cells, while Samsung SDI will showcase a 50-ampere (A) class ultra-high output cylindrical battery with significantly enhanced output compared to existing batteries. SK On will present a ‘pouch-type high-voltage mid-nickel battery’ that combines high energy density, price competitiveness, and safety.
On the 5th, visitors at 'InterBattery 2025' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, watched the demonstration of the robot 'Dali,' a collaboration between Samsung SDI and Hyundai Motor Robotics Lab. The robot 'Dali' is equipped with Samsung SDI's robot-dedicated battery, the '21700 cylindrical battery.' 2025.03.05 Photo by Dongju Yoon
POSCO Future M plans to introduce the current status of POSCO Group's value chain completion through supply chain diversification including nickel, graphite, and recycling, while Korea Zinc will showcase high-nickel precursor manufacturing technology designated as a national advanced technology. Lotte Group's chemical affiliates such as Lotte Chemical, Lotte Energy Materials, and Lotte Infracell will exhibit separator materials, electrolyte organic solvents, ultra-clean high-end copper foil, high-quality aluminum cathode foil, and cell pouches.
EcoPro will reveal future growth engines such as the integrated cathode material corporation in Indonesia and all-solid-state new material development, while Sungil Hightech will showcase its battery recycling plant and the latest eco-friendly recycling technologies. L&F will exhibit high-nickel cathode materials with nickel content exceeding 95%. Additionally, companies like Eugene Technology, Mintech, Ubat, and Mona will introduce innovative products awarded at the ‘InterBattery Awards 2025’. LG Chem, for the first time since its spin-off, has set up a solo booth, and Samhwa Paint and Rumplier are also participating for the first time.
During InterBattery, various side events such as conferences, recruitment briefings, U.S. investment briefings, and battery mineral seminars will be held.
At the opening ceremony, An Deok-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, said, "To overcome the chasm, we plan to stimulate electric vehicle demand through tax reductions on EV purchases and expansion of charging infrastructure, and diversify battery demand beyond electric vehicles by increasing the energy storage system (ESS) market size up to 15 times the current domestic ESS production capacity by 2038," adding, "We will actively review various policy measures including fiscal, tax, and fund support to promote domestic production of battery core minerals and materials, including anode materials."
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