The battery industry has announced its participation in InterBattery 2026, South Korea's largest battery industry exhibition, scheduled for next week. With the electric vehicle market facing delays due to factors like the chasm (temporary demand slump), the spotlight is shifting to emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On, and materials company POSCO Future M confirmed on Monday that they will participate in InterBattery 2026, set for March 11-13 at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul.

LG Energy Solution aims to highlight its technological leadership beyond electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS), expanding into robotics, drones, and aerospace. They will feature the home robot LG CLOiD and Bear Robotics' autonomous robot Carti 100, demonstrating the versatility of their high-performance cylindrical batteries.

The company will also introduce a blood transport drone developed with the K-Drone Alliance and an aerospace cube satellite, showcasing their expansion into the drone sector. Additionally, they will exhibit solid-state battery technology for future robotics applications.

LG Energy Solution will debut its LMR (Lithium Manganese Rich) battery, which optimizes price and performance. Developed in collaboration with General Motors, this battery received the "Battery Innovation Award" at last year's North America Battery Show 2025.

The company will present various energy infrastructure solutions to address the increasing power demand driven by AI industry growth and renewable energy expansion. These include battery solutions for power grids, industrial and commercial use, data centers, and an Energy as a Service (EaaS) business model for integrated energy management.

For power grids, LG Energy Solution will showcase ESS solutions tailored to domestic power infrastructure and regulations, along with battery technologies supporting a stable power supply for AI data centers. Their JF2 DC LINK 5.0 ESS solution, optimized for South Korea's power landscape, incorporates lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for enhanced fire safety.

Samsung SDI emphasizes ultra-high-output batteries for the AI era, targeting zero power gaps

Samsung SDI is unveiling its battery vision for the AI era under the slogan "The Imagination of AI, Realized by Batteries." The company plans to showcase ultra-high-output, high-quality battery products and innovative technologies crucial for the AI age.

The exhibition's centerpiece will be ultra-high-output, high-quality battery technologies essential for data centers, a critical infrastructure in the AI era. Samsung SDI will demonstrate battery solutions for Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and Battery Backup Units (BBU), emphasizing the role of ultra-high-output batteries in achieving zero power gaps in AI data centers.

Samsung SDI's U8A1 battery for UPS applications combines LMO (Lithium Manganese Oxide) materials with a prismatic form factor to deliver both high output performance and safety. They will also introduce a new BBU battery solution that directly connects high-output, high-capacity cylindrical batteries to servers, enabling rapid response during power peaks and extending data storage time during outages.

The company will display its complete Samsung Battery Box (SBB) lineup, an all-in-one battery solution for energy storage systems (ESS). This solution packs prismatic NCA or LFP batteries into a 20-foot container, incorporating proprietary technologies such as integrated direct injection (EDI) and cell abnormality pre-diagnosis to ensure safety and longevity. Samsung SDI will also debut its AI fire prevention software, Samsung Battery Intelligence (SBI).

Samsung SDI will showcase its solid-state battery technology and various applications. The company plans to extend solid-state technology beyond electric vehicles to humanoids, mobile robots, and industrial robots, preparing for the upcoming robotic era.

SK On introduces LFP batteries for ESS with an EIS-based preventive and diagnostic system

SK On plans to broaden its focus beyond electric vehicles to include ESS and robotics. At the exhibition, they will showcase high-energy-density lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pouch batteries for ESS. The company is working to increase LFP battery energy density from the current 350-450 Wh/L to around 500 Wh/L.

SK On will highlight ESS safety technologies, including the industry's first container-type ESS DC block with an integrated preventive and diagnostic system based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This technology analyzes battery internal resistance and reaction characteristics using AC signals, enabling early detection of micro-defects and degradation stages that traditional Battery Management Systems (BMS) might miss.

As a robotics application example, SK On will display a Hyundai Wia logistics robot (AMR) equipped with their high-nickel ternary battery. This robot is used for logistics automation in Hyundai Motor Group and Meta's Plant America facilities.

The company will also showcase its cell-to-pack (CTP) technology, which simplifies processes by connecting cells directly to packs. Additionally, SK On will present ultra-fast charging technology developed with SK Enmove, capable of charging from 10% to 80% in just seven minutes.

POSCO Future M unveils roadmap for solid-state cathode and silicon anode materials

POSCO Future M will showcase future cathode and anode technologies for autonomous electric vehicles (EVs), ESS, and humanoids. They will display ultra-high-nickel cathode materials with over 95% nickel content to enhance the range and stability of autonomous EVs.

The company will also exhibit next-generation materials, including LFP cathodes for ESS and entry-level EVs, as well as cathodes and silicon anodes for solid-state batteries, highlighting their development status and roadmap.

POSCO Future M will introduce the POSCO Group's direct lithium extraction (DLE) process, which enables economical lithium production from low-concentration brine. They will also showcase developments in solid electrolytes and lithium metal anode materials for solid-state batteries. The exhibition will feature electric-vehicle steel products, including POSCO International's drive motor cores and rare-earth permanent magnets, as well as POSCO's battery packs and cylindrical battery can materials.

The battery industry has announced its participation in InterBattery 2026, South Korea's l …

South Korea's Battery Giants Pivot to AI at InterBattery 2026: 7-Minute Fast Charge, Zero-Gap Data-Center Backup, and Solid-State Robots