South Korea's InterBattery 2026 Expands Beyond EVs into AI, robotics, energy storage
InterBattery 2026, Korea’s largest domestic battery trade show, opened at the COEX convention center in Seoul on November 11. The event, staged in the Gangnam district, highlights how the battery industry is expanding beyond traditional electric-vehicle components into areas such as energy storage, robotics, and AI-enabled systems.
At Samsung SDI’s booth, visitors examined an AI data-center uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solution on display, underscoring the company’s push to align battery technology with data-center resilience and advanced applications. The expo panel and exhibitor line illustrate how the sector is broadening to meet demand in energy storage and intelligent machines, alongside more familiar automotive uses.
Among the week’s highlights, LG Energy Solution showcased its LG CLOi home robot powered by high-performance cylindrical batteries, alongside Bear Robotics’ autonomous Carti100 robot. An LG official noted that the home robot can operate for about 9 to 12 hours on a full charge, illustrating the practical endurance improvements being demonstrated at the show.
Samsung SDI also unveiled a world-first: a pouch-type solid-state battery sample named SolidStack, described as a next-generation technology intended for broader applications. The company has set a target for mass production in the second half of next year, with potential applications spanning robots and aviation systems, signaling a longer-term shift toward solid-state chemistry across multiple sectors.
The SK On booth featured Hyundai Wia’s autonomous mobile robot (AMR), which can autonomously chart the most efficient route and handle around 1.5 tons of cargo. SK On said its batteries power AMRs as well as other robotics applications, including mobile-picking and parking robots, illustrating a growing role for battery suppliers in automated logistics and operations.
Executives from the companies outlined strategic priorities tied to the fast-changing landscape. LG Energy Solution’s chief technology officer, Kim Je-young, stressed that the battery industry is changing rapidly and that accelerating R&D through AI and open innovation is a core goal. Samsung SDI’s research chief, Park Yong-rak, emphasized that energy storage systems, robotics, and urban air mobility are future growth engines and that the company is developing multiple next-generation battery technologies alongside conventional cylindrical formats.
Industry observers also heard remarks from Korea Battery Industry Association president Um Gi-cheon, who framed global supply-chain realignment and increasing protectionism as challenges that could accelerate Korea’s leadership in key battery markets. He urged the sector to capture new demand in strategic industries to keep the K-battery sector resilient.
For U.S. readers, InterBattery 2026 signals how South Korea’s battery ecosystem is seeking to diversify beyond EVs into energy storage, robotics, and urban mobility—areas with growing relevance to American manufacturers, policymakers, and investors. The development of solid-state battery formats, AI-enabled manufacturing, and integrated systems used in data centers, drones, and robotics could influence supply chains, supplier diversification, and potential collaboration with U.S. firms as the global battery race intensifies.