SK Innovation

Korea plea to China over battery subsidies

Seoul has confirmed it is in direct talks with China aimed at patching up a trade row that led Beijing to slap sanctions on the use of South Korean batteries.

As BBB reported last week, signs that the two countries were attempting to bury the batteries hatchet emerged as South Korean and Chinese firms formed two joint ventures to produce lithium-ion battery materials from bases in China.

south korea

china

batteries

Lithium-ion

LG Chem

samsung sdi

SK Innovation

Korean battery makers line up in Europe

Further evidence of a Korean “land grab” of future European EV markets came last week with SK Innovation's announcement that it plans to invest around KRW1 trillion ($920 million) to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Hungary and to expand production facilities for EV batteries in South Korea.

The battery maker said it would set aside KRW840 billion for the Hungary plant, which it will start building in February. By 2020, the plant will be capable of producing 7.5GWh of batteries each year.

South Korea plans Li-on push in face of China sanctions

South Korea is backing plans by the country’s battery giants to inject a total of KRW2.3 trillion ($2.3 billion) into the sector over the next three years, to expand production and challenge China’s increasing dominance of the market.

The move, led by battery giants LG Chem, Samsung SDI and SK Innovation Companies is in response to Chinese sanctions the firms say effectively block the use of South Korean batteries in electric vehicles in China.

SK ‘adds nickel to batteries’ for extended EV range

South Korean tech giant SK Innovation is reportedly launching commercial production of new batteries with higher nickel content to extend the distance electric vehicles can travel between charges.

According to Reuters, SK said it has developed a new range of NMC lithium-ion batteries composed of 80% nickel, 10% cobalt and 10% manganese— instead of current units with a nickel content of around 60%.

south korea

SK Innovation

NMC lithium-ion battery

nickel

electric vehicles

SK aims to take 30% of total battery market

South Korea’s SK Innovation aims to take nearly a third of the global battery market by 2025.

The company, which also owns an oil refinery and chemicals business, has ambitious plans to expand its battery production from 4.4% market share (1.1 GWh) last year to 10% by 2020 and 30% in eight years’ time – when the rapidly-growing electric car battery market is expected to be demanding a total of 300 GWh (up from 25 GWh in 2016).

south korea

SK Innovation

battery market

War threat halts battery production?

The threat of conflict on the Korean Peninsula is being cited as the reason why a collaboration between a Chinese EV car maker and SK innovation has ground to a halt.

But the real reason the suspension of all operations at the Beijing Electronic Holding & SK Technology Co., Ltd. (BESK) is more likely to be protectionism and not retaliation for South Korea’s decision to deploy the US made THAAD anti-missile system.

SK Innovation expands Li-ion plant to meet EV targets

Korean firm SK Innovation has expanded its manufacturing plant to ramp up its lithium-ion battery production.

The company, the energy holding unit of SK Group, has doubled its battery plant in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, to produce batteries for electric vehicle OEMs.

Korean

SK Innovation

lithium-ion

SK Innovation and Continental end battery JV

SK Innovation and Continental end battery partnership

South Korea’s SK Innovation and Germany’s Continental have ended their battery joint venture due to low demand for EVs.

The venture, SK Continental E-motion, was launched in January last year. SK Innovation took charge of supplying battery cells while Continental was responsible for battery control systems.

SK Innovation

germany

ev battery

LG Chem and SK Innovation drop lawsuit

LG Chem and SK Innovation reach agreement

EV battery producers LG Chem and SK Innovation have withdrawn their patent lawsuit in the US and South Korea about inorganic material-coated separators.

The two companies agreed to not file any lawsuits over patents or seek damages for the next 10 years in Korea or overseas and cooperate in the electric vehicle battery business.

SK Innovation provides 1MW li-ion battery storage for German microgrid project

Contract signing, Frauenhofer and SK Innovation

South Korean battery maker SK Innovation has secured a deal to supply a 1MW lithium-ion battery storage system for a microgrid pilot project, led by Frauenhofer-Institut, in Magdeburg, Germany.

The 1MW battery has a capacity of 0.5MWh. It is SK’s first export of its energy storage system (ESS) since the company entered business in 2010.