InterBattery 2026 opened on the 11th at COEX in Seoul. From the first day of the exhibition, LG Energy Solution’s booth was crowded with industry insiders and general visitors. The approximately 540㎡ space was divided into five zones—△Energy Infrastructure △Mobility △Robotics & Drones △Future Technology—offering a comprehensive view of the present and future of battery technology at a glance.

“Original Innovator, Creating the Future of Energy.”

The phrase displayed at the booth entrance encapsulates the message LG Energy Solution aims to deliver at this exhibition. It signals a transition from an electric vehicle battery company to an “energy platform company” expanding into AI data centers, robots, drones, and beyond.

Targeting AI data centers… “Space efficiency, high output, safety”

The data center zone located at the center of the booth was one of the areas LG Energy Solution highlighted most strongly at this exhibition. The battery system configured in a server rack format evoked the structure of a real data center. It was also where visitors spent the most time. A power outage simulation was provided in this area, allowing visitors to directly observe how an emergency power solution operates when a blackout occurs.

AI data centers are facilities where thousands of servers run simultaneously. In particular, GPU servers used for generative AI computation consume far more power than general servers and are highly sensitive to power quality. Even a momentary interruption of power can stop servers and lead to data loss or service disruptions. UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) and BBU (Battery Backup Unit) fulfill this role.

In this zone, LG Energy Solution presented the JP5 pouch-type cell for UPS, the next-generation pouch-type LFP cell JP6, and cylindrical cells for BBUs together. Rather than simply saying it “supplies batteries,” the company showed in detail which cell formats are used for which purposes inside a data center. The key concepts emphasized by LG Energy Solution were space efficiency, high output, and safety. Because batteries are installed inside server racks, they must store as much energy as possible in the same space, deliver power immediately the moment an interruption occurs, and ensure safety given that a large number of units are installed in confined indoor environments.

At the front of the booth, the LFP-based grid ESS solution “JF2 DC LINK 5.0,” winner of this year’s InterBattery Awards 2026, was also on display. It is a system that supports stable power supply in large-scale grids and is a solution designed to reliably manage grid volatility arising from the expansion of renewable energy.

From home robot CLOiD to CubeSats… the world of batteries

The Robotics & Drones zone was the most diverse and visually engaging space at the booth that day. LG Electronics’ home robot “LG CLOiD,” which drew attention at the recent CES, and Bear Robotics’ autonomous logistics robot “Carti100” were displayed side by side, each equipped with high-performance cylindrical batteries. A blood-transport drone and a CubeSat developed in cooperation with the K-Drone Alliance were also exhibited. The logistics robot Carti100 highlighted its ability to provide stable output and durability even in harsh industrial environments.

Optimization by EV segment… first domestic unveiling of LMR battery

In the Mobility zone, LG Energy Solution’s product strategy—segmenting the requirements of the electric vehicle market and optimizing technologies for each segment—was clearly visible.

The Performance solution, targeting markets that demand overwhelming driving range and ultra-fast charging such as high-performance sports cars and SDVs (Software-Defined Vehicles), features high-nickel-based 46-series and 2170 cylindrical cells. The Standard solution, for markets where a balance of performance and cost is crucial—such as buses and mid-range sedans—highlights pouch-type HV Mid-Ni cells and pouch-type LMR cells as flagship products. For compact cars and entry-level sedans, pouch-type LFP cells were placed in the Affordable solution lineup.

The Renault Scenic electric SUV, the first mass-production vehicle model to adopt LG Energy Solution’s automotive mid-nickel battery, was exhibited. It is characterized by securing price competitiveness while maintaining energy performance comparable to existing NCM batteries.

The main highlight of the day was the first domestic unveiling of the LMR (Lithium Manganese Rich) battery. By increasing the proportions of lithium and manganese, this battery maximizes cost efficiency. It is currently being co-developed with GM, with commercialization targeted for 2028.

Safety technologies were also emphasized. Pouch-type products incorporate a “multi-stage cooling system” and the “No TP (Thermal Propagation) Pack Solution,” which prevents thermal propagation, while cylindrical products adopt the proprietary pack solution “CAS (Cell Array Structure).” CAS is a technology that maximizes the performance of the 46 series while enhancing cooling efficiency and thermal runaway prevention. It allows cells to be stacked freely in vertical and horizontal directions, enabling flexible pack design.

First unveiling of sulfide-based all-solid-state sample cell… “Surpassing the limits of LIBs”

Sulfide-based all-solid-state battery sample cells and mock-up modules were also unveiled for the first time. They were introduced as offering “higher energy density and faster charging that surpass the limits of LIBs (lithium-ion batteries).” According to company officials, applying all-solid-state batteries could extend EV driving ranges to around 900 km and reduce ultra-fast charging times to under 10 minutes.

LG Energy Solution plans to differentiate its all-solid-state technology approach based on application characteristics rather than applying a single technology uniformly across all markets. For next-generation industries such as robots and UAM (Urban Air Mobility), the company intends to first introduce anode-free all-solid-state batteries.

Anode-free technology uses only current collectors without an anode material, a configuration that can theoretically raise energy density per unit volume significantly. It is considered an optimal solution for humanoid robots and UAM, where space constraints are severe and energy density requirements are high, with commercialization targeted for 2030. At the robotics-related booth, all-solid-state cells that can be used in service robots, humanoids, and industrial robots were also exhibited.

For EVs, LG Energy Solution is pursuing a graphite-based all-solid-state battery approach. Because it has high compatibility with existing lithium-ion battery materials and processes, it is advantageous for stable mass production and securing manufacturing competitiveness. Development is underway with initial commercialization targeted for 2029. LG Energy Solution’s strategy is to first apply all-solid-state batteries to new markets such as robots and UAM to enhance technological maturity, then gradually expand the scope of application.

Alongside this, the company also showcased a range of next-generation battery technologies, including bipolar batteries capable of implementing high voltage without connecting multiple cells, and sodium-ion batteries for ESS applications. Sodium-ion batteries are drawing attention for their potential use in the energy infrastructure sector thanks to advantages in raw material availability and low-temperature performance.

Beyond hardware… the battery industry moves into data and AI

Battery diagnostic services also attracted attention. The battery life care solution “Better.Re,” which became the first battery manufacturer-developed pure software technology to win a CES Innovation Award, was unveiled at the exhibition. “B-LifeCare” is a service that continuously monitors the condition of batteries while a vehicle is in operation, enabling drivers to check battery state of charge, charging patterns, and signs of anomalies via a mobile app. “B-once” evaluates battery condition with a single scan by analyzing collected data using AI. After partnering with Hyundai Motor and Kia, the service has recently been expanded so that buyers of Volkswagen Audi Q4 e-tron electric vehicles can select it as an option.

In the Energy Infrastructure zone, the company went beyond battery hardware to present its power brokerage business. This involves aggregating distributed energy resources such as solar, wind, and ESS and connecting them to the power market, storing electricity when renewable generation is high and supplying it when demand increases.

At “The Battery Conference” held on the same day, LG Energy Solution CTO Kim Je-young presented AI-based R&D innovation as the key strategy that will determine competitiveness in the battery industry.

He said, “The battery industry is undergoing extremely rapid change and intense competition,” adding, “We are introducing AI agents across the entire research and development process, fundamentally transforming the R&D paradigm.” He further explained, “Based on the 90,000-plus patents and R&D data accumulated by LG Energy Solution over the past 30 years, we are accelerating AI transformation (AX).”

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