LG to launch battery innovation by 2028

The South Korean conglomerate is set to start mass production of its dry-coating process in 2028

LG is looking to commercialise dry-coating technology by 2028, a technology seen widely as a game changer for battery-making, as the Korean company looks to compete with Tesla and its Chinese rivals.

The South Korean conglomerate is set to start mass production of its dry-coating process in 2028, Kim Je-Young, LG Energy Solution’s chief technology officer (CTO) told Bloomberg News.

Dry-coating technology is being pursued by major battery makers to replace the traditional wet process for making cathode and anode electrodes, which is energy-consuming and more expensive.

Tesla first discussed using the dry method technology in 2020, nevertheless, the firm had only been able to successfully implement the process on the anode part of the battery, according to Reuters.

Kim said that LG is leading among battery competitors in terms of dry coating technology.

We started 10 years ago, Kim told Bloomberg.

Companies like LG, Samsung and Tesla have been locked in a race to find more efficient ways to produce electric car batteries, as demand for electric vehicles has dramatically slowed down.

Kim said the dry method of producing batteries could lower costs by 17 per cent to 30 per cent.

Volkswagen earlier said dry coating technology could lower energy usage by 30 per cent by companies and save nearly half the space. The automaker called the technology a “game changer”.

The traditional wet coating involves dissolving chemicals in solvents and drying the chemicals in huge ovens at high temperatures.

Dry coating manufacturing means firms do not need to buy and use drying ovens and other equipment, saving significant money and energy.