South Korean battery supplier LG Energy Solution (LGES) estimates that its unique dry electrode process could reduce cell manufacturing costs by 17% to 30%.
LGES has developed a unique dry electrode process that may trump all the others. On August 20, 2024, LG Energy Solution announced it was on track to complete the pilot line for its advanced dry electrode process. The new pilot line will be installed at LGES’ Ochang Energy Plant and is expected to reach full-scale production by 2028.
At this point in the electric vehicle (EV) market, dry electrode processes have become a highly-adopted method for making batteries. The method’s title speaks for itself, as it eliminates the need to dry foils coated with a slurry of mixed active materials and organic solvents. According to The Korea Herald, the drying process takes up a lot of space and energy as it often calls for ovens that reach temperatures exceeding 200 degrees Celsius.
A few companies have developed their own dry process, including Tesla. Last month, Tesla’s Senior Manufacturing Engineer for 4680 cell development, Cole Otto, shared a photo of a Cybertruck equipped with in-house dry cathode 4680 batteries. Otto stated that Tesla’s dry cathode 4680 batteries were a “significant milestone in advancing both technology and cost efficiency.”
LGES’ dry electrode process will likely bring about battery advancements and cost efficiencies of its own. The South Korean battery maker’s dry electron process differs from others as it can be used for both anode and cathode parts of batteries. In comparison, most dry electron processes concentrate on either the anode or the cathode, but not both.
LGES’ research and development into technology that could improve EV battery cells might benefit Tesla and other automakers who are partnered with the South Korean company. LG Energy Solution is also working on 4680 battery production at its Ochang Plant, with a goal to hit mass production by Q3 or Q4 this year.
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