Market RadarNatrium-ion batterijen
South Korea Targets Sodium-Ion Batteries to Reclaim Market Leadership
South Korea has unveiled a new "Battery Industry Technology Roadmap" aiming to regain global market leadership. The strategy prioritizes sodium-ion batteries for energy storage systems and lower-cost electric vehicles. The government seeks full commercialization of sodium-ion technology with an energy density of 220 Wh/kg by 2030.
South Korea has launched an ambitious new strategy to re-establish its position as a global leader in the battery industry. The "Battery Industry Technology Roadmap," released on September 22, outlines a significant shift towards sodium-ion batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) and more affordable electric vehicles (EVs). Concurrently, solid-state batteries are being targeted for high-performance EVs, robotics, drones, and urban air mobility applications.
The South Korean government has set clear objectives for sodium-ion technology, aiming for an energy density of 160 Wh/kg by 2027, increasing to 220 Wh/kg by 2030, with full commercialization expected in the same year. Major Korean battery manufacturers, including LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On, along with key material suppliers, are actively involved in this national endeavor. The overarching goal is to propel the "K-battery" sector back to global market leadership through "selection and focus."
The strategic pivot to sodium-ion reflects the market share South Korean suppliers have ceded. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP) now accounts for approximately 90% of global battery storage deployments, a market predominantly controlled by Chinese manufacturers. While sodium-ion currently remains more expensive, it offers Korean companies a pathway into the cost-sensitive battery market, where affordability is a greater priority than maximum energy density.
The roadmap includes plans for collaboration among cell producers on non-competitive aspects, such as battery dimensions and component specifications. Projects are proposed where material suppliers develop products to specific price and performance levels, which cell manufacturers then test and procure. Starting in 2027, initiatives will also commence to feed data from EV battery management systems back to cell and material developers.
Furthermore, the government is stimulating the sector with a production tax credit from 2027 and measures to encourage battery recycling. A research budget of approximately KRW 400 billion (nearly $300 million) has been allocated for 2027-2031, and companies intend to invest around KRW 8 trillion ($8 billion) in research and production facilities between 2026 and 2030.
Ambitious targets have also been set for solid-state batteries, including a prototype by 2027 and commercial application by 2030, with an energy density of 400 Wh/kg targeted for 2028.
This information is based on an article from ESS News.
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