Samsung Affirms Solid-State Battery Roadmap

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Last week, at SNE Battery Day 2024 in Seoul, South Korea, Samsung SDI made a series of announcements on its battery technologies.

The company had already published its roadmap for the mass-production of its ‘all solid-state battery’ (ASB) that features an energy density of 900Wh/L. The solid electrolyte in the Samsung ASBs significantly reduces fire risk and increases driving range. It has an energy density of 40% more than Samsung SDI's existing P5 prismatic battery product. In addition to the solid electrolyte, the new battery also features anodeless technology to enable higher cathode capacity. At the SNE Battery day, the company reaffirmed that commitment and said it has already delivered the first batches of ASBs from its pilot to EV manufacturers, who have been had the cells for testing for around half a year. The new ASB pilot production line is located at the Samsung SDI R&D Center in Suwon and it was set up last year to provide prototypes and samples. The battery is expected to appear in production EVs by 2027. Because of the cost of the new technology, the first vehicles to feature the ASBs will be premium ranges. The company claims that all aspects of its roadmap for mass-producing ASBs by 2027 is on track, including development, the production line, project launch and supply chain management.

The company also said that its roadmap to launch ultra-fast charging technology that reaches 80% charge from 8% in just 9 minutes, is on schedule and the technology will be in mass production by 2026. The fast charging feature will be made possible by optimizing the lithium-ion transfer path and enabling low resistance.

Samsung SDI also used Battery Day to affirm that its plan to develop and mass-produce a battery solution that lasts more than 20 years by 2029 was on target. 20 years is over double the battery life of products currently available in the market. The company intends to achieve this longer lifetime through strengthening the durability of materials going into the battery

At the day itself, the company demonstrated a prismatic battery form factor with terminals on the side, in contrast to conventional top terminals. This move will enhance both energy and cooling efficacy. Another eye-catching concept on display was cell-to-pack (CTP) technology for prismatic cells. This will reduce the number of components by more than 35% and the weight by 20%, which brings higher energy density, as well as a noticeable reduction in cost. At the event, the company also took the opportunity to showcase its no thermal propagation technology, a safety feature that prevents propagation of thermal runaway in the event of a fire or an impact, by exhausting high-temperature gas through a vent built in the cells.

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