Korea Targets Sodium-Ion and Solid-State Batteries in New Technology Roadmap

South Korea has unveiled a national battery technology roadmap aimed at strengthening its position in a global market increasingly shaped by slowing electric-vehicle demand and intense price competition from Chinese manufacturers. The plan places sodium-ion and solid-state batteries at the center of a coordinated push by the government and the country’s leading cell makers.

Officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy presented the roadmap at an industry meeting in Seoul with executives from LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On. The government plans to support a 400 billion won research and development program from 2027 through 2031, while private battery companies have committed 8 trillion won for research and production facilities through 2030.

The roadmap signals an effort to expand beyond the high-nickel nickel-cobalt-manganese batteries that helped Korean companies establish a strong position in premium electric vehicles. Chinese competitors have gained ground with lower-cost lithium iron phosphate cells, increasing pressure on Korean producers to improve both affordability and technological performance.

For the lower-cost segment, Korea plans to develop sodium-ion batteries that use relatively abundant sodium instead of lithium. The roadmap sets an energy-density target of 160 watt-hours per kilogram by 2027 and aims for commercialization at 220 watt-hours per kilogram by 2030. Reaching those goals could make the technology more competitive in applications where price and supply stability matter more than maximum range.

At the premium end, the strategy calls for accelerated work on solid-state cells, which are designed to offer greater energy density and improved fire resistance. The government expects prototype development in 2027, a 400 watt-hour-per-kilogram target in 2028 and commercialization by 2030. Potential uses include commercial electric vehicles, robots, drones and urban air mobility systems.

The initiative also seeks closer coordination across the battery and automotive industries. Cell manufacturers are expected to cooperate on noncompetitive standards, including common pouch and prismatic cell dimensions, to reduce duplicated investment. Automakers would share battery-management-system data with battery producers to help speed performance improvements.

Additional measures include planned production tax credits beginning in 2027 and the development of a battery recycling system designed to align with European regulations. Together, the steps reflect Seoul’s attempt to compete at both ends of the market: reducing costs in mass-market cells while advancing next-generation technology for demanding applications.