SK Innovation announced on June 10 that it has presented its technologies at InterBattery 2021, the largest exhibition of battery industry in Korea. The event is behing held in COEX, Seoul, for three days from June 9 to 11.
The total area of SK Innovation’s booth at InterBattery 2021 is 360m². The company displays its technology based on three main themes: ”Safer than EVer” (safety), ”Faster than EVer” (quick charging speed), and “Longer than Ever” (long-distance driving range). These are the factors that SK Innovation considers the most important requirements for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, as well as the strong points of the company.
Upon entering the booth, visitors are greeted by the latest battery entitled “Next Battery”, which shows SK Innovation’s pride and technology.
At the front sides of the booth, SK Innovation displayed various electric cars that are equipped with the company’s EV batteries. The purpose of this layout is to show that SK Innovation’s unrivaled battery technology and quality are widely trusted by global automakers.
An IONIQ 5 – the first model in Hyundai’s new IONIQ brand dedicated to battery electric vehicles – is displayed at the front left side of SK Innovation’s booth. IONIG 5 is loaded with NCM8 battery of SK Innovation. SK Innovation’s NCM8 is a high-nickel battery that uses about 80% of nickel (Ni), the highest level in the industry at the moment. In particular, as the performance of the NCM8 battery increases, it is currently considered a type of EV battery that is hard to be mass produced due to safety issues. The driving range of IONIQ 5 is about 429 km, and it can be charged up to 80% in just 18 minutes with high-speed charging.
Kia Motors’ EV6, which is about to be released soon, is also introduced through a 3D video displayed on a “magic mirror” inside SK Innovation’s booth. The Kia EV6 will be equipped with the same battery as the Hyundai IONIQ 5.
At the front center of SK Innovation’s booth is Ford Motors’ F-150. F-150 is Ford’s flagship pickup truck model and the best-selling car in North America in the last 39 years. It has a significant meaning that a pickup truck, which emphasized the power and durability of the internal combustion engine, can be converted to an electric vehicle with SK Innovation’s battery installed. SK Innovation will supply this Ford’s pickup truck with NCM9, which is considered the most powerful lithium-ion battery at the moment.
NCM9 is a battery that has the proportion of nickel up to approximately 90%. Nickel is a mineral that has the greatest influence on battery output and driving range. As NCM9 has high energy, it is difficult to manufacture without advanced technology that ensures safety. SK Innovation completed the production of this battery with its exclusively unrivaled safety technology and will supply it to Ford from next year.
On the first day of the event, Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Seung-wook and CEO of SK Innovation’s Battery Business Jee Dong-seob attended the opening ceremony of InterBattery 2021. They also visited SK innovation’s booth checked SK innovation’s unrivaled battery technology. Welcoming the guests, CEO Jee showed confidence in the company’s battery business and said, “We will lead the battery market by continuously developing innovative technologies such as safety, high-speed charging, and long driving-range.”
