• Cutting-edge battery technology is accelerating the transition to a sustainable future.
• LG Energy Solution is driving innovation in battery safety and performance.
• The company is redefining the energy landscape with pioneering advancements.

[National Battery Day Special]

On February 18, National Battery Day provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the impact batteries have had, continue to have, and will have on our daily lives. To commemorate this important celebration of energy, let’s look back at the fascinating history of rechargeable batteries and then take a peek into the exciting future of next-generation EVs, powered by   one of the industry’s few true pioneers, LG Energy Solution.

What are Rechargeable Batteries?

Rechargeable batteries, also known as secondary batteries, are designed to store electrical energy for repeated use. Their ability to undergo multiple charge-discharge cycles makes them an essential part of sustainable energy solutions. Popular examples, listed in chronological order of their development, include lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and lithium-ion batteries, each boasting unique applications based on their distinctive characteristics.

Among these is the revolutionary lithium-ion battery, which was first introduced in the early 1990s to completely revolutionize battery technology. Designed to overcome the limitations of other rechargeable batteries, particularly limitations on energy density and lifecycle, lithium-ion batteries leverage the unique properties of lithium to expand energy capacity and lifespan.

From consumer electronics to EVs and renewable energy systems, rechargeable batteries are widely used across countless industries due to high efficiency and recyclability, making them a cornerstone of sustainable energy solutions. For example, lithium-ion batteries – one of the leading players in this space – are used extensively in smartphones, laptops, and EVs, which opens the way to greener, more sustainable modes of transportation.

Lithium-ion Batteries

A lithium-ion battery generates electricity as lithium ions move between the cathode and anode. When its ions travel from the cathode to the anode, the battery charges, and as they return energy is released, discharging the battery. The electrolyte provides a pathway for lithium ions to travel, while the separator ensures that the cathode and anode never touch. These four components – the cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator – are the core building blocks of every lithium-ion battery.

With the separator enhancing safety by preventing direct contact between the cathode and anode, LG Energy Solution developed its own specialized separators. While the cathode and anode influence battery performance, the separator helps the battery avoid short circuits while its pores allow lithium ions to move freely. This makes separator manufacturing technology essential to creating new battery safety standards.

To effectively prevent contact between the cathode and anode, a separator must be extremely durable and heat resistant. To enable this, back in 2004, LG Energy Solution’s parent company, LG Chem, introduced the Safety Reinforced Separator (SRS^®) that set the new benchmark for separator safety. SRS^® uses a coating technology that applies ceramic particles and polymer binders to the separator’s surface to enhance the safety and performance of various battery types.

LG Energy Solution’s Mid-to-Long-Term Strategy

Building on its strong technological edge, LG Energy Solution aims to deliver top-tier solutions such as high-voltage mid-nickel batteries and the LFP, 46-series cylindrical batteries. In addition, the company is dedicated to achieving industry-leading performance and cost competitiveness in prismatic batteries. In the ESS sector, LG Energy Solution will enhance its capabilities in large-scale LFP battery cells, high-density systems, and System Integration (SI) expertise, further boosting its ability to secure major contracts in the future.

LG Energy Solution understands that the future is rapidly approaching, requiring careful and meticulous preparation above all else. As part of this strategy, the company is advancing the commercialization of next-generation batteries such as sulfide-based and bipolar batteries, expanding its number of major OEM collaborations and BMS contracts.

Ultimately, these efforts will solidify LG Energy Solution’s position as a comprehensive provider of advanced energy solutions and reinforce its status as a company that paves the way to a more sustainable and innovative future.

Advancing Battery Technology

(1) High-Voltage Mid-Nickel Battery

Amid ongoing research into various next-generation battery technologies, high-voltage mid-nickel batteries have far surpassed the capabilities of the mid-nickel batteries that came before them. These batteries feature a higher manganese content, which enhances safety, while maintaining a mid-nickel content. Although this lower nickel content reduces its energy capacity, this battery still offers substantial energy density advantages through its higher voltage.

In addition to reinforcing safety, mid-nickel batteries have huge cost-saving potential. By reducing the use of expensive raw materials like nickel and cobalt while expanding the use of affordable manganese, manufacturing costs are highly competitive. Taking the cost savings even further is the use of lithium carbonate instead of lithium hydroxide.

To further cement its leading position in this competitive sector, in March of last year, LG Energy Solution’s mid-nickel Pure NCM battery won the Best Innovation Award at the 2024 InterBattery Awards, held at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in Seoul, Korea. This award-winning battery utilizes high-voltage NCM613 materials, tailored for use in laptops.

LG Energy Solution plans to begin mass producing high-voltage mid-nickel NCM cathode batteries in future, as it proactively responds to global EV market trends. At the same time, the company is researching various ways to further enhance the specs of these next-gen batteries.

(2) Solid-State Battery

Conventional lithium-ion batteries use an electrolyte made up of highly conductive liquid. But what do you get if the electrolyte came in solid form instead? The next-generation energy storage solution, solid-state battery.

Solid-state batteries are unique as every component is made entirely of solid materials. Solid electrolytes are dual-functional, serving as both the medium for ion transportation and a separator, eliminating the need for a separate membrane. This is what makes the innovative structure a game changer for the safety and reliability of new energy technology.

Looking ahead, LG Energy Solution is quickly moving to secure its future competitiveness by developing next-gen battery technologies such as solid-state batteries.

Regarding solid-state batteries, the company plans to lead the market by producing anodeless products that exclude lithium anodes, and ‘graphite-based’ anode products. The company also plans to accelerate the mass production of ‘bipolar’ semi-solid batteries and low-cost high-power batteries applying sulfur and sodium. Furthermore, leveraging its outstanding dry electrode manufacturing process, the company will rapidly enhance its overall competitiveness in cost, energy density, and production yield.

(3) BMTS(Battery Management Total Solution)

A Battery Management System (BMS) analyzes various battery-related data to assess battery condition, optimize performance, and ensure safe usage. LG Energy Solution’s Battery Management Total Solution (BMTS) goes beyond traditional BMS through advanced and comprehensive functionalities, enhancing safety and battery degradation diagnostics while providing tailored solutions for software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

To accelerate the growth of its BMTS business, LG Energy Solution launched a new brand under the name of ‘B.around,’ reinforcing its commitment to expanding outside the battery manufacturing sector. The company is also actively promoting its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) business by leveraging BMTS technologies and battery lifecycle data.

In a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, LG Energy Solution also introduced a new system-on-chip (SoC) based BMS diagnostic solution. Integrated into the Snapdragon® Digital Chassis™, this offering leverages high-capacity computing to strengthen safety diagnostics and lifespan prediction, enabling the faster and more accurate detection of various anomalies including thermal incidents.

Patents – LG Energy Solution’s Pioneering Strength

As one of the few battery trailblazers in the world, LG Energy Solution has secured a vast portfolio of patents across critical areas such as battery materials, manufacturing, battery packs, and Battery Management System (BMS) technologies. To date, the company has filed over 69,631 patents as of December 2024. This unrivaled patent pool further highlights LG Energy Solution’s industry leadership.

Having led the market for decades, LG Energy Solution is now committed to establishing a fair battery patent licensing market that protects the intellectual property rights of cutting-edge technologies while promoting fair competition and greater industry-wide innovation. These efforts include the exploration of diverse monetization models, including patent pooling and patent sales.

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