Samsung SDI Starts to Set up Industry’s First Pilot Line for All-solid-state Batteries
March 15, 2022 By Jung Min-hee
Samsung SDI has started the construction of the industry’s first pilot line for all-solid-state batteries.
The company announced on March 14 that it broke ground for a pilot all-solid-state battery line on a 6,500-square-meter site on the premise of its research institute in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon of Gyeonggi Province. The company named it “S-Line,” with S meaning “Solid,” “Sole” and “Samsung SDI.”
Samsung SDI plans to introduce battery-only electrode plates, solid electrolyte process facilities, and cell assembly facilities to S-Line. Until now, the company has made one or two prototypes in the laboratory. But when S-Line is completed, large-scale pilot production will be possible.
All-solid-state batteries contain solid electrolytes and therefore have little risk of fire. But they have a high energy density and are charged fast. This is why they are called a game changer.
Samsung SDI is developing a solid state battery with sulfide-based electrolytes. Compared to polymer-oxide-based electrolytes, this electrolyte has strengths in production scale expansion and charging speed. Samsung SDI has secured a design and patents on sulfide electrolyte materials and has entered the technology verification stage.
“The construction of the pilot line means that Samsung SDI has overcome technical difficulties in mass production of all-solid-state batteries to some extent,” an industry insider said.
The biggest barrier remaining now is to secure technology to raise charging speed at room temperature and low temperatures. Solid electrolytes have lower ion conductivity than liquid electrolytes, so all-solid-state batteries have a lower charging and discharging speed than conventional batteries.
The pilot line will take Samsung SDI one step closer to volume production of all-solid-state batteries than its rivals. LG Energy Solution and SK On are developing all-solid-state battery technologies with the goal of starting mass production around 2030.
Among battery startups, QuantumScape, which received Volkswagen’s investment, is planning to mass-produce all-solid-state batteries beginning from 2024 at the earliest. Solid Power, which have BMW and Ford as major shareholders, also announced that it will release electric vehicles loaded with solid-state batteries in 2025. SES, invested by Hyundai Motor Co. and General Motors (GM), is also looking to commercialize lithium metal batteries in 2025.
Meanwhile, Samsung SDI liquidated its battery pack corporation SWBS, which is located in Wuxi, China, at the end of 2021, according to sources in the battery industry. Samsung SDI previously completed the liquidation of another battery pack corporation SCPB in Changchun, China in early 2021. As a result, Samsung SDI has completely withdrawn from the battery pack business in China.
Samsung SDI is planning to focus on operating battery cell plants in Tianjin and Xian by closing down all of its battery pack factories in China.
Source:Samsung SDI Starts to Set up Industry’s First Pilot Line for All-solid-state Batteries
