Korean Battery Giants Pivot to AI Infrastructure, Robotics at InterBattery 2026

South Korea's three major battery manufacturers will unveil next-generation technologies and new business strategies beyond electric vehicles at InterBattery 2026, the industry's largest exhibition.

The companies are positioning energy storage systems (ESS), artificial intelligence infrastructure, and robotics as key solutions to overcome the current chasm in the global EV market, signaling an all-out effort to secure future market leadership.

According to industry sources on June 2, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On will participate in InterBattery 2026, which runs for three days starting June 11 at COEX in Seoul. All three companies will showcase battery solutions for AI data centers while emphasizing expanded portfolios covering robots and drones.

LG Energy Solution will focus on demonstrating its technological capabilities in AI data centers and robotics under the theme "Innovation Leader Shaping the Future of Energy."

The company will display LG's home robot "Cloyd" and Bear Robotics' autonomous robot "Carti 100," both of which drew attention at CES 2026. Blood transport drones and CubeSats will also be prominently featured. In the energy solutions segment, LG will unveil the LFP-based ESS solution "JF2 DC LINK 5.0" optimized for Korea's power infrastructure, along with the first public showing of its next-generation UPS rack system for AI data center backup power and battery backup unit (BBU) solutions equipped with high-output cylindrical batteries.

Samsung SDI will showcase its ultra-high-output technology supporting the AI era under the slogan "AI's Imagination, Made Real by Batteries." Key exhibits include the "U8A1" battery for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and BBU solutions that connect directly to servers for immediate response to power peaks.

In the ESS sector, Samsung will display its full lineup of integrated "Samsung Battery Box (SBB)" solutions and unveil "Samsung Battery Intelligence (SBI)," an AI-based fire prevention software. The company will also introduce all-solid-state batteries targeted for mass production in the second half of 2027, alongside "physical AI" applications including humanoid and industrial robots.

SK On will present its technological innovation achievements under the theme "Opening the Next-Generation Energy Era." In the ESS sector, a key business focus this year, the company will unveil a container-type DC block featuring high-energy-density LFP pouch batteries and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based diagnostic technology for early detection of micro-defects. The system allows selective replacement of only modules showing abnormalities, significantly improving cost efficiency.

In robotics, SK On plans to highlight its robust ecosystem partnership through collaboration with Hyundai Wia's autonomous mobile robots (AMR). The company will also showcase its cell-to-pack (CTP) technology achievements. CTP eliminates modules by connecting cells directly to packs, simplifying processes and components while achieving cost competitiveness and high energy density.

Battery materials company POSCO Future M will also participate in the exhibition, unveiling future cathode and anode technologies. The company will showcase ultra-high-nickel cathode materials and cost-competitive LFP cathode materials, along with development progress and roadmaps for next-generation materials including cathodes for all-solid-state batteries and silicon anode materials.

An industry official said, "This exhibition will mark a turning point as the battery industry expands its territory from EV-centric business to AI energy infrastructure and robotics."

InterBattery, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and jointly organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association, COEX, and KOTRA, is Korea's largest battery industry exhibition. Now in its 14th year, approximately 700 companies including the industry's Big Three will participate.