SK On is participating in CES (Consumer Electronics Show), held from January 9 to January 12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, being the only Korean battery manufacturer present. This year, SK Group has designed its exhibition booth in the form of an amusement park called ‘SK Wonderland,’ with SK On planning to showcase its high-tech capabilities at the ‘Dancing Car’ corner.
This marks SK On’s second participation in CES, continuing from last year. The goal is to demonstrate its cutting-edge technology and expand its global business through various customer engagements. According to SNE Research, SK On ranked fifth globally in battery usage for electric vehicles from January to October last year. It was also named the top ‘World Innovative Company’ by Fortune last year. Vice Chairman Choi Jae-won plans to personally oversee the venue and check the latest mobility technologies while meeting with key global clients.
The ‘Dancing Car’ corner features a real car model mounted on a robotic arm, accompanied by a video showcasing a typical internal combustion engine vehicle converting into a high-performance electric car and racing. The 5-minute video is designed so that even average viewers can easily understand electric vehicle batteries, utilizing the robotic arm to display how batteries are integrated on the electric vehicle floor, adding a visual thrill to the exhibit.
In the ‘Dancing Car’ video, SK On introduces various technologies, including Z-Folding, S-PACK, and fast charging, as well as its flagship product, the high-performance high-nickel battery NCM9+. NCM9+ is a leading product in high-performance high-nickel battery technology that SK On has pioneered, receiving innovation awards at CES for two consecutive years until last year. SK On was the first to commercialize the NCM622 battery for electric vehicles in 2014, the NCM811 battery in 2018, and developed the NCM9 battery with a 90% nickel content in 2019.
The NCM9+ battery incorporates Z-Folding technology that maximizes the safety of SK On’s batteries. This technique stacks the anode and cathode in a zigzag manner between the separator, helping to address the safety concerns typical of high-nickel batteries, where increased nickel can lead to better range but compromises safety. SK On boasts a rapid and precise manufacturing process with its third-generation Z-Folding technology, which has increased productivity by 2.3 times compared to the first generation.
In electric vehicles, battery cells are gathered into modules, and multiple modules are assembled into a final pack. The electric car in the ‘Dancing Car’ display features the S-PACK developed with SK On’s Cell To Pack (CTP) technology, which minimizes the number of modules. The ultimate goal is to eliminate modules entirely and connect cells directly to the pack. Adding more cells to the module space extends the driving range while reducing manufacturing costs. S-PACK also enhances safety considerably by preventing the spread of heat throughout the entire battery pack, even in the event of a fire.
SK On’s fast charging technology is also featured in the video. It demonstrates an SK electric vehicle quickly depleting its battery and then charging to 80% in just 18 minutes at a charging station. This innovative achievement is made possible by SK On’s special coating technology. Recognizing this performance, SK On won the top innovation award in the ‘Embedded Technology’ category at CES 2023, followed by another award in the ‘Vehicle Technology and Advanced Mobility’ category, achieving dual honors.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr