A battery manufacturer promises to have found a model with which to end the problems of electric cars in very low temperatures.
South Korea's largest battery manufacturers have gathered at the InterBattery exhibition in Seoul, the country's capital, to showcase their innovations that could change the future of electric cars. SK On's Winter Pro LFP battery is one of the first that is designed specifically for the cold.
The Winter Pro LFP battery is presented as the solution for electric vehicles in areas with colder climates. These components often have problems functioning: some batteries freeze, others lose autonomy, and others begin to increase charging time.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries lose between 50 and 70% of their autonomy at temperatures of -20 degrees. The new SK On model made from nickel forgets about the problems derived from extreme cold, improves the load capacity by 16% and is 10% more efficient than traditional ones.
The Korean brand has shown its Advanced SF and SF+ fast charging models at the exhibition. The SF (Super Fast) battery is also high in nickel and can be charged from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes. Advanced SF improves energy storage by 9% without losing charging speed and the SF+ battery is capable of reducing charging time to 15 minutes.
Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solutions try to compete with the Chinese giants
Samsung SDI has partnered with Stellantis and General Motors and is committed to solid-state batteries. Bloomberg has reported that the South Korean company plans to begin mass producing these types of batteries by 2027.
Samsung SDI is optimistic and hopes to achieve unprecedented charging times in the coming years: the brand wants its batteries to charge in nine minutes by 2026 and expects their useful life to be 20 years.
The expansion of the electric vehicle fleet in countries around the world involves making profound changes in battery technology as it is known. “Lithium-ion battery technology is almost saturated, and especially the materials,” said Stella Go, executive vice president of Samsung SDI.
Samsung hopes to position itself as one of the leading companies in battery manufacturing worldwide, but the Chinese market does not make it easy with a recent alliance of the country's large manufacturers. LG Energy Solutions, another company of South Korean origin, has joined the electric car battery war.
LG Energy Solutions, Samsung SDI and SK On have created an unwritten union with which they intend to compete with Chinese giants such as CATL, FinDreams Battery, CALB and Svolt Energy Technology.