• LG Energy Solution becomes the first battery company to file over 100,000 global patent applications, securing more than 59,000 granted patents that include both commercialized and next-generation technologies.
• The company aims to lead the industrial battery ecosystem by establishing a fair licensing framework for patents.

As of May, LG Energy Solution became the first global battery company in the world to file more than 100,000 patent applications worldwide, including more than 59,000 granted patents. This milestone was made possible by the company’s strong emphasis on patents as strategic assets that drive future growth, strengthen business competitiveness, and guide sustained increases in R&D investment.

LG Energy Solution first surpassed KRW 1 trillion in annual R&D spending in 2023, before reaching a record high of KRW 1.3277 trillion last year. The company plans to continue building on its technological competitiveness through investment as it prepares for the future battery market.

LG Energy Solution has led the growth and development of the battery industry by advancing technologies in areas that were still emerging. Over more than 30 years, the company has secured fundamental technologies across the entire battery value chain, including materials, electrode design, cells, packs, BMS, and manufacturing processes. These patent assets have built a meaningful foundation for LG Energy Solution’s differentiated technological competitiveness.

Some of the company’s key patents cover technologies already used commercially and proven in the market. The company’s process technology patents include Safety Reinforced Separator (SRS), which coats ceramic particles and polymer binders onto the separator surface; Double Layer Slot Die Coating (DLD), a world-first anode coating technology; and Carbon Nanotube (CNT) pre-dispersion technology.

The company has also built a solid patent portfolio in core material technologies including high-voltage electrolytes, high-capacity high-nickel cathodes, mid-nickel NCM materials such as NCM523 and NCM622, and silicon anodes. Based on these technologies, the company has recently won a series of global patent lawsuits, demonstrating the value of its patent competitiveness.

In addition to strengthening its existing technologies, LG Energy Solution is moving quickly to secure technologies for future markets. Through its “Winning Tech Strategy,” the company is focusing on core next-generation technologies that can support future growth in the battery market.

Lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery technology is one of the company’s next-generation patent focus areas. LG Energy Solution recognized the potential of LMR cathodes with silicon anodes early and began building a related patent portfolio before the field gained industry attention. The technology is expected to serve as a core platform for the commercialization process of LMR batteries.

Dry electrode technology is another key focus. LG Energy Solution has secured approximately 450 patents related to dry electrode technology, a next-generation manufacturing process that eliminates organic solvents and uses solid powders to improve production efficiency and environmental performance.

LG Energy Solution views patents not only as a means of protecting rights, but also as core assets that support future growth. Through its “IP R&D Process,” the company integrates patent acquisition into the early stages of technology development and builds a portfolio of “premium patents” designed to be difficult for competitors to circumvent or imitate.

Furthermore, the company is taking a firm stance against patent infringements to establish a market order where core technology values are fairly recognized. Compensation from patent infringement lawsuits is then reinvested into R&D and securing future technologies.

LG Energy Solution is also working to support a fairer industrial ecosystem by expanding patent licensing and encouraging technology exchange based on mutual respect. The company plans to lead the sustainable growth and development of the battery industry, ensuring that value generated from its patent assets continues to fuel innovation.

“Reaching 100,000 patent applications is a testament to our unwavering commitment to technological advancement,” said Han Sun Lee, Senior Vice President and IP Group Leader at LG Energy Solution. “We will continue accelerating growth based on our source technologies and premium patents, ensuring that fair compensation for innovation will lead to new breakthroughs.”

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