SEOUL, SK On Co. said Thursday it plans to unveil its first prismatic cell at an upcoming battery exhibition next week, along with a set of other latest products, in a move to diversify the portfolio to meet growing demand for a wider range of cell types.
The prismatic cell mockup will be on display at the InterBattery 2023, set for March 15-17, the battery making unit under South Korea's SK Group said in a release.
The primary feature of SK On's prismatic cell is fast charging, which trumps the speed touted by its Super Fast pouch battery designed to charge up to 80 percent in 18 minutes, the company said.
SK On plans to start production of pilot samples within this year.
SK On, which was split off from SK Innovation Co. in 2021, has mainly produced pouch cells for electric vehicles.
During the three-day show, SK On will exhibit a cobalt-free battery, or Co-Free, that is as durable as the ones with cobalt and has as much energy density for the long-drive range using its own high-nickel technology, it said.
SK On will demonstrate at the show the test product of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell and the initial prototype for solid-state battery.
SK On's LFP has managed to boost the driving range to 70-80 percent at low temperatures like minus 20 C, from 50-70 percent. The LFP, widely adopted by Tesla Inc., is cheaper compared with lithium ion batteries that use nickel, cobalt and manganese, and have strong thermal stability.
Solid-state batteries, still under development by many battery makers, is considered a next-generation cell for having lower fire risks because it uses a solid electrolyte, instead of the liquid or gel electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries.
InterBattery 2023, due to take place at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul, will bring together some 450 companies from home and abroad to showcase their latest products, including LG Energy Solution Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co., according to organizers.
Leading battery component makers, such as EcoPro BM Co., POSCO Chemical Co., SK Nexilis Co. and Korea Zinc Inc., will also take part in the show.
Source: Yonhap News Agency