LG Energy Solution vs. Samsung SDI: The Robot Battery Market Battle

[Korea Financial Times, Kim JaeHun] LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI have intensified their competition in the robot battery sector. Their strategy is to secure this as a new revenue source by enhancing technological capabilities and acquiring customers in preparation for the era of robot commercialization.

In particular, unlike the automotive battery sector where Chinese companies have seized the initiative, Korean companies are assessed to have relatively advanced technology in the robot battery field, drawing attention to what results these two companies can achieve in the global market. In fact, batteries applied to some commercialized robots are NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) ternary batteries, where Korean companies have strengths.

They also have strong allies. LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI have established solid partnerships with Tesla, Hyundai Motor Group, and others in the electric vehicle battery sector. The two companies plan to expand not only humanoids such as Tesla's Optimus and Hyundai Motor Group's Atlas but also various robot products and customer companies.

Cylindrical Battery Leader LG Energy Solution Targets Tesla's Optimus Heart

Currently, NCM-based cylindrical batteries are widely used for robot batteries. This is because they are lighter than LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries, in which Chinese companies have strengths, and are suitable for long-term use while responding to high-power demands.

LG Energy Solution is supplying batteries to global robotics companies by leveraging its cylindrical battery technology. At the company's 2025 annual results conference call, it stated, "We are supplying products to six global leading technology companies based on recognition of our cylindrical battery technology, and are discussing specifications and mass production timing for next-generation models."

LG Energy Solution is known to currently supply cylindrical batteries to Tesla's humanoid Optimus (2nd generation) and some of Hyundai Motor's robot dog Spot2. Additionally, LG Energy Solution batteries were applied to LG CLOiD, a home robot unveiled by LG Electronics, a sister company within the same group, at CES 2026.

Tesla remains LG Energy Solution's largest customer. Tesla has previously announced plans to adjust its electric vehicle production ratio in the long term and nurture next-generation products such as humanoids as new growth engines. Tesla plans to launch Optimus 3rd generation in the second quarter of this year and begin full-scale commercialization of humanoids.

Particularly, while Tesla attempted to apply its own batteries to Optimus 3rd generation, observations suggest that difficulties in large-scale mass production have opened opportunities for global battery companies.

Currently, the Optimus 2nd generation is equipped with LG Energy Solution's NCM 2170 cylindrical battery. This battery is being utilized in various robots beyond Optimus. LG Energy Solution plans to begin large-scale mass production of 4680 cylindrical batteries, which have approximately five times higher energy density than 2170, starting this year.

Samsung SDI's Alliance with Hyundai Motor, High Expectations for Atlas

If LG Energy Solution has Tesla as an ally, Samsung SDI is strengthening its robot market strategy through an alliance with Hyundai Motor Group. Samsung SDI signed a joint development agreement for robot-dedicated batteries with Hyundai Motor and Kia in February last year.

Perhaps because of this, following Hyundai Motor Group's unveiling of the humanoid Atlas at CES 2026 in January, the stock prices of Hyundai Motor Group affiliates and battery alliance partner Samsung SDI showed concurrent upward trends. In particular, Samsung SDI's stock price broke through KRW 400,000 between January 22-23, achieving a 52-week high.

While the specific product name and manufacturer of the battery applied to Atlas demonstrated at CES were not officially disclosed, the market reacted to the possibility that Samsung SDI's NCM ternary battery was applied based on Atlas's required specifications.

Samsung SDI's competitiveness lies in its NCM battery technology, which is superior to competitors.

Based on this, Samsung SDI is supplying batteries to Hyundai Motor Group's autonomous mobility platform MobED and service robot Dali, among others. Both robots are relatively recently unveiled models.

At Samsung SDI's 2025 fiscal year results conference call, the company stated, "While automakers' electrification plans are being delayed, the robot market is growing rapidly due to the application of physical AI," adding, "We are discussing utilization plans with several global robot companies."

Technology Gap Crucial, Including Solid-State Batteries

Both LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI appear to be attempting to recover territory lost to the electric vehicle chasm through full-scale robot battery business.

Some institutions, including Morgan Stanley, forecast that the global humanoid market will reach approximately USD 5 trillion (approximately KRW 7,200 trillion) around 2050. The two companies plan to maximize early preemption effects through rapid customer acquisition and technology enhancement, as the robot market is still in its early stages.

However, there are many challenges to resolve. Above all, securing safety is important. Robots such as humanoids are likely to gradually spread from industrial sites to everyday life.

Accordingly, LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI are reportedly prioritizing the improvement of safety in existing NCM batteries.

Additionally, they are pushing for the commercialization of solid-state batteries as the ultimate solution for robot batteries. Humanoids must control dozens of joints in real-time, requiring high energy density, instantaneous high output, and safety simultaneously. Solid-state batteries have the potential to meet these requirements.

Industry experts evaluate that even Chinese battery companies, the biggest competitors, have only a 1-2 year technology gap with Korean companies in the solid-state field. The timing of solid-state commercialization is likely to determine the future competitive landscape.

Samsung SDI is mentioned as currently technologically ahead. Samsung SDI became the first Korean battery company to establish a solid-state pilot line in March 2023, and has been conducting tests while supplying samples to customers such as Hyundai Motor Group. It also presents the fastest plan, targeting 2027 for commercialization.

At Samsung SDI's 2025 fiscal year results conference call, the company stated, "We will proceed with mass production of solid-state batteries in 2027 as originally planned," adding, "We plan to invest in production capacity (CAPA) for the solid-state battery line within this year."

LG Energy Solution targets solid-state commercialization in 2030, somewhat later than Samsung SDI. LG Energy Solution is also operating a pilot line and has presented a plan to first introduce polymer-based solid-state batteries at the 800Wh/L level in 2028.

Kim JaeHun (rlqm93@fntimes.com)