Beaten by China in EV batteries, Korea finds an edge in humanoids

Atlas, a humanoid robot by Hyundai Motor-backed Boston Dynamics, waves as it makes its debut at the CES 2026 in Las Vegas on Jan. 6. [NEWS1]

[NEWS ANALYSIS]
 
After being undercut by lower-cost Chinese rivals in the EV market, Korea’s major battery makers have recently gained a much-needed jump from the burgeoning humanoid robot sector.
 
Korea now finds itself on a much stronger footing with humanoid robotics, where the demand for high-output, high-performance batteries plays directly to the country's strengths in nickel-rich chemistries — a sector in which China still lags behind.
 
Korean battery makers like LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On are scrambling to partner with humanoid leaders such as Tesla and Hyundai Motor Group to develop batteries purpose-built for robots.
 

High power, high density: Korea outpaces China
 
Unlike in EVs, space for batteries in humanoid robots is severely limited — often confined to the torso — yet must simultaneously power dozens of motors in joints and energy-intensive AI computing systems. The result is a punishing energy profile that demands batteries capable of delivering both exceptionally high output and high energy density.
 
That requirement exposes the limits of lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, batteries, a type dominated by Chinese manufacturers, which makes Korea’s ultra-high-nickel lithium-ion technology the most viable alternative.
 
“Most humanoid robots unveiled so far rely on high-nickel cylindrical batteries optimized for high output,” said Ju Min-woo, a researcher at NH Investment & Securities. “Battery capacity per unit typically ranges from 2 to 4 kilowatt-hours — about 2.3 kilowatt-hours for Tesla’s Optimus and roughly 3.7 kilowatt-hours for Boston Dynamics’ Atlas.”
 
“Battery demand from humanoid robots could eventually reach roughly 20 to 40 percent of today’s EV battery market,” Ju added.
 
LG Energy Solution recently said it is supplying cylindrical batteries to six major robotics companies, noting that the list includes “most of the leading players one could readily name.”
 
LG Energy also supplied batteries for LG Electronics’ CLOiD home bot, which was first unveiled at CES 2026 earlier in the year, and also provided 46-millimeter cylindrical cells to Naver Labs’ autonomous robots and service robots produced by Bear Robotics.
 

LG Electronics' home robot, LG CLOiD, is unveiled at the CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January. [SARAH CHEA]

 
Samsung SDI, meanwhile, is widely expected to supply batteries for Hyundai’s recently unveiled Atlas humanoid robot. The two companies in February last year inked an agreement to jointly conduct research and development on robot-specific battery technologies.
 
Samsung SDI displayed MobED, Hyundai’s autonomous mobility robot platform, and its service robot DAL-e, at its booth at InterBattery 2025 in March, which was equipped with its own cylindrical batteries.
 
Hyundai plans to begin mass production of MobED in the first quarter of this year.
 
SK On has recently begun supplying batteries for the logistics robots of Hyundai Wia, a Hyundai Motor-owned auto parts maker specializing in powertrain and engines.
 
“We understand that even Chinese robotics companies themselves are now approaching Korean battery makers for supply,” said a source at a major Korean battery materials company. “High-nickel ternary technology is something China simply does not yet possess.”
 
The humanoid robot market, which was valued at around $2.43 billion last year, will grow to $66 billion by 2032, according to a prediction by Fortune Business Insights, a global market research firm.
 

Samsung SDI's cylindrical batteries at its booth at the InterBattery 2025 at Coex, southern Seoul, on March 5, 2025. [YONHAP]

 
Korea leads ‘dream battery’ race
 
A critical component for the expansion of the humanoid robot market is the development of solid-state batteries — with Korean companies at the forefront.
 
Often dubbed the “dream battery,” solid-state technology replaces liquid electrolytes with solid ones, simultaneously boosting energy density and safety. While commercial deployment in EVs has been delayed by cost and technical challenges, smaller applications such as robots and drones are proving far more conducive to rapid development.
 
Solid-state batteries offer distinct advantages in energy density, safety and thermal management, potentially extending operational runtimes to five to eight hours or more. While high-nickel batteries remain the standard for humanoid robots in the near term, a gradual shift toward solid-state adoption is expected over the coming years.
 
Samsung SDI is leading the charge, establishing Korea’s first pilot line for solid-state batteries at its Suwon research facility in 2023, with commercialization targeted for 2027. Several samples have already been delivered to potential clients.
 
“Demand for solid-state batteries is growing, and we are actively exploring applications with various robotics companies,” said Park Jong-sun, an executive vice president at Samsung SDI’s strategic marketing office, during a conference call Monday. “We plan to invest in capacity expansion for our solid-state battery production lines within this year.”
 

Atlas, a humanoid robot by Hyundai Motor-backed Boston Dynamics, demonstrates working at a factory at the CES 2026 in Las Vegas on Jan. 8. [YONHAP]

 
SK On followed suit, completing a pilot plant in Daejeon last year, aiming to develop solid-state cells with energy densities of 800 watt-hours of energy per liter by 2029.
 
For robotics applications, solid-state batteries are projected to command a premium, with costs ranging from $600 to $800 per kilowatt-hour.
 
“Global solid-state battery players are building production lines up to the 2 gigawatt-hour range,” said Ahn Hoe-soo, an analyst at DB Securities. “If the market can absorb a tenfold price premium, selling just 1 gigawatt-hour of solid-state cells could generate revenue equivalent to 10 gigawatt-hours of conventional lithium-ion batteries.”
 

InterBattery 2025 opened with the largest-ever size, joined by 688 battery and related companies at home and overseas. [SARAH CHEA]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]