COMPANY PROFILE / Solid-State Battery
Samsung SDI
— Aimed at mass production in 2027, achieved proof-of-concept with BMW as a ‘battery manufacturer’
Samsung SDI isa company that lives by selling batteriesIt is. So even solid-state batteries are not used by the company itself.but to be bought by someone else.We are working on it. In the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, the semi-annual report will include ‘Next-generation technology such as all-solid-state batteries’aims for mass production in 2027is leading the industryIt is not yet decidedorganizes it with primary information only.
- Understand Samsung SDI in 30 seconds and its position with solid-state batteries
- About the representation of the logo and company name (difference from Samsung Electronics)
- Where is this company in the world of solid-state batteries
- Company size
- Resources invested in solid-state batteries
- Previous efforts
- Future plans
- What is this company aiming for with solid-state batteries?
- Mapping of collaborations in the field of all-solid-state batteries
- Techniques and methods adopted
- Risks faced by this company
- Glossary / References / Claims and Corresponding References Table
1. Understand Samsung SDI in 30 seconds and its position with solid-state batteries
Gyeonggi-guGongseol-ro 150-20
Securities Market 006400February 27, 1979 listing
Solid PowerAn agreement among three companies in October 2025. Not a supply contract
Companies working on solid-state batteriesAutomotive manufacturers, battery manufacturers, and startupsare divided into three types. Samsung SDI isbattery manufacturer. fact. That means, no matter how good a solid-state battery they make,it will not generate any sales revenue unless it is adopted by automobile manufacturers. Unlike Toyota, which has no exit strategy for its own vehicles, it has the potential to sell to multiple customers. The business report for the fiscal year ending December 2025 lists BMW, Volkswagen Group, Samsung Electronics, Stellantis, and AES as major sales partners, but this isthe company’s sales channels that include companies with liquid lithium-ion batteries.and are not customers for solid-state batteries.
Samsung SDI is a separate company from Samsung Electronics. However, regardless of this, Samsung Electronics is the largest shareholder of Samsung SDI common stock as of December 31, 2025.19.44%is a major shareholder. fact The ‘Samsung’ seen in semiconductor and smartphone news and the battery company discussed in this article areSeparate entity, separate financial statementsPlease read it as if it were separated.
2. Regarding logo and company name display
Note on notation: The company name is “Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. (Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.)” and the English version is SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.. On January 20, 1970,Samsung-NEC Co., Ltd.was established and changed its name to the current one on November 29, 1999. The battery brand is PRiMX (Primax)It is. which is a separate legal entity from Samsung ElectronicsAnd, I will not just write ‘Samsung’ in this article.
Official website:https://www.samsungsdi.com/3. Among the world of all-solid-state batteries, where is this company located?
4. Company Size
Samsung SDI isbattery manufacturerSo, the size of the company directly reflects its strength in this field. Unlike the explanation for automobile manufacturers, we will not skip this part. fact. All amounts are in South Korean Won, and the consolidated basis for the annual report and interim report.
| Index (Consolidated, Million Won) | Fiscal Year 2023 | Fiscal year ending December 2024 | Fiscal Year Ending December 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Revenue Total | 21,436,788 | 16,592,249 | 13,266,731 |
| Among Energy Solutions Department | 20,406,100 | 15,691,243 | 12,384,169 |
| Uchi Electronics Materials Department | 1,030,688 | 901,006 | 882,562 |
| Operating Income Total | 1,545,489 | 363,304 | △1,722,361 |
| total research and development expenses | 1,136,361 | 1,297,611 | 1,420,947 |
| research and development expenses ÷ sales revenue | 5.0% | 7.8% | 10.7% |
A minus sign indicates a loss. This income statement has been prepared by excluding the polarizing film business of the Electronics Materials Department due to its transfer.
| First Half of 2026 (January-June) | amounts/number of people | Comparison with the Same Period Last Year |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 73,452 billion won | 16% increase |
| operating profit | 4.82 billion won in black profit | 880.1 billion won improvement (from loss to profit) |
| sales of the Energy Solutions department | 68,734 billion won (94% of the total) | 93.12 billion won increase |
| Research and development expenses (first half) | 85.88 billion won | Sales ratio 11.7% |
| Number of employees (December 31, 2025, Korea) | 12,826 people | Of which Energy Solutions department: 11,026 people |
The number above isfor the entire company. It does not represent the scale of business for solid-state batteries. Samsung SDI is reporting sales, investment amounts, and the number of dedicated personnel for solid-state batteries.All of these have not been made public. Unconfirmed / FutureIn the fiscal year ending December 2025, it reported a net loss of 17.24 trillion won, but it expects to turn to a net profit of 48.2 billion won in the first half of 2026. This profit is almost entirely.The ones being sold now are liquid-based lithium-ion batteries and electronic materials.Solid-state batteries have not yet generated sales revenue.
5. Resources invested in solid-state batteries
The amount and number are not disclosed, butWhat resources are being invested in?The specific details can be read from the business report and official release. Below is a table.
| Resource types | Content | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Person (Specialized Organization) | The organizational chart of the research and development department isASB Business Promotion TeamIt was officially announced that it was established as a dedicated control tower in December 2023. | fact |
| person (number of personnel) | The number of personnel in the ASB business promotion team | Not disclosed |
| Gold (total company research and development expenses) | 2025 fiscal year 14.209 trillion won (sales growth rate of 10.7%), 2026 first half 8.588 trillion won (same period growth rate of 11.7%) | fact |
| Gold (Composition of all-solid-state batteries) | Research and development expenses and equipment investment for solid-state batteries. No breakdown of the 32.744 trillion won investment in 2025 (of which Energy Solutions is 31.953 trillion won) is disclosed | Not disclosed |
| equipment | Shimoura’s R&D centerhas installed a pilot line for all-solid-state batteriesand is supplying test samples as announced in the official release | fact |
| Investment in external ventures | in addition to the business report and other corporate investment liststhere are no all-solid-state battery startupsthe investors include Ganfeng Lithium, EcoPro IEM, Pilenergy, and the Secondary Battery Growth Fund, among others in materials, equipment, and funds | Not recorded |
| joint venture | Stellantis joint venture StarPlus Energy, GM joint venture in the United States. All of themis not written as ‘exclusive for all-solid-state batteries’ | fact |
| Collaboration with universities and research institutions | only stated ‘strengthening cooperation with overseas research institutes and domestic and international research institutions’no university or institution names are mentioned at all | Unconfirmed |
The organization’s name may seem unremarkable, but in this field, it says a lot fact. In Samsung SDI’s organizational chart for research and development, the Research Institute, Production Technology Research Institute, and each business division are listed under the Development Department, within whichASB Business Promotion Teamis independently located. Neither ‘Research Team’ nor ‘Development Department’is Commercializationto name it after is a key point.
the longest time taken in solid-state batteries is not the discovery of materials ‘shape the material’, ‘fit to customer’s requirements’, ‘align with cost’This stage of material exploration can be done within a research institute, so there is no need to create an organization specifically for commercialization. In other words, this companyalready acknowledges that it has passed the stage of material explorationis the case Unconfirmed / Future。
6. Previous Efforts
| period | incident | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| January 1970 | Established as Samsung-NEC. Listed on the Korean market in 1979 and changed to its current name in 1999 | Before becoming a battery manufacturer, it was a parts supplier for CRT tubes |
| 2000 | Began lithium-ion secondary battery business | The company itself uses ‘since 2000’ as the starting point for explaining its competitive advantage |
| 2009 | BMW selects Samsung SDI as its battery supplier and a partnership begins | The agreement on all-solid-state batteries in 2025 is an extension of this 17-year relationship |
| 2023 year | A pilot line for all-solid-state batteries is established at the R&D center in UlsanAnd begins supplying prototype samples | Moving from laboratory experiments to production stage |
| December 2023 | Established the ASB Businessization Promotion Team | Specialized Control Tower for All-Solid-State Batteries |
| March 2024 | At InterBattery 2024Initially unveiled a mass production roadmap with an energy density of 900Wh/LExplained that by using our own solid electrolyte and ‘anodeless’ technology | Indicated the time frame for mass production as 2027 |
| February 24, 2025 | Modern automobiles Hyundai andhigh-performance robot-specific batterieshave signed a joint development MOU | It is not written as an MOU for all-solid-state batteries. |
| October 31, 2025 | BMW and Solid Power have signed a three-party agreement in the full-solid-state battery demonstration projectSolid Power’s solid electrolyte is used by Samsung SDI to supply cells, while BMW develops modules and packs | The first public case where both customers and material manufacturers simultaneously confirmed, but it is not a supply contract |
| March 2026 | InterBattery 2026 (March 11 to 13, Seoul COEX)Samples of pouch-type all-solid-state batteries for physical AI (humanoid robots, etc.)were first publicly revealed. The announcement was made on March 9th | The explanation that EVs used a rectangular prism shape only has been expanded to include the pouch type as well |
7. Future Plans
The first half of the 2026 interim report states thatsolid-state batteries and sodium batteriesare mentioned side by side, with both stating ‘research and development are continuing and mass production is being promoted’ factIt’s not just betting on solid-state batteries.
Next, all of these are not recorded in the business report, interim report, or official release. Unconfirmed / Future。
solid-state batterylocation of the mass production factory／production capacity (GWh)／Mass production investment amount／ Mass production supply contract and its counterpart／Price／The vehicles and products that will be equipped. The three-party agreement with BMW isa demonstration (validation) projectand not a contract for the sale of mass-produced items. The figures such as ‘Samsung SDI will reach X GWh in Y year’ are often based on reports or estimates by research firms, and we do not adopt them in this article.
8. What does this company aim to achieve with solid-state batteries?
This part includes information that the company has not directly stated.Inferred from primary sources within the scope of what can be read.Along with the basis, I will write it down.
| What can be read | primary information | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| solid-state batteries areThe purpose is to sell externallyand, more than the technology itselfit’s about taking on adoptionat this stage | Being a battery manufacturer, the name of the dedicated organization is ‘Businessization Promotion’, and they have achieved proof-of-concept with BMW. | speculation |
| The first exit isIt’s not just about EVsHigh possibility | In March 2024, it was only rectangular cells for EVs, but in March 2026, they initially unveiled pouch-type cells for robots and have expanded their applications to include aviation and wearable devices. | speculation |
| Solid electrolytes areNot limited to our own products onlyStrategy | In 2024, they explain that it is ‘our own solid electrolyte’, but in the agreement for 2025, they explicitly state that they will use Solid Power’s solid electrolyte | speculation |
| solid-state batteries areIt is not the sole pillar of next-generation technology | The interim report lists both all-solid-state batteries and sodium batteries side by side | fact |
| Mass production in 2027 willbegin with a limited launchfrom | The mass production capacity, factory, and supply contracts are all undisclosed, and the recent announced purpose is for samples intended for robots | speculation |
In the official release in March 2024, solid-state batteries wererectangular for electric vehiclesas explained, ‘900Wh/L’ and ‘2027 year mass production’ were the two numbers shown. The official release in March 2026 also stated this.The target year for mass production has not changedbut, the newly released isa pouch-type sample for humanoid robotsand, the company said ‘We have focused on rectangular cells for EVs so far, but we will diversify our form factors in the future’. fact。
it is because the explanation of the purpose increases while the target year remains the same. the mass production starting in 2027 will not be a large-scale EV case aloneThe article suggests this. For robots and aviation, the battery capacity per unit is small, and the price tolerance is high. The logic is to secure an exit with a large production capacity before mass production in the early stages. Unconfirmed / Future。
9. Mapping of solid-state battery collaborations
10. Technology Approach Used
Samsung SDI does not explicitly mention the chemical system of solid electrolytes (sulfide-based, oxide-based, halide-based, etc.) in its annual reports or official releases Unconfirmed / Future。 Publicly disclosed isThe concept of the structure and the target numbersIt is.
| Item | The content that has been made public. |
|---|---|
| Target for energy density | 900Wh/L. Compared to the current mass-produced rectangular battery P540% higherlevel |
| solid electrolyte | explained using our own solid electrolyte (March 2024). Meanwhile, for the demonstration cells intended for BMWSolid Power’s solid electrolytewill be used (October 2025) |
| Negative electrode | anodeless (bare cathode) technology. This will supposedly increase the capacity of the positive electrode |
| Shape | EV forSquare. In March 2026, asPouch-typesamples will be first publicly unveiled |
| Target performance | Improvement in safety and extended range. For robots, in addition to being small and high-energy densityInstantaneous outputis being raised |
‘Anodeless (without anode)’ refers to a structure wherethe collector is placed without pre-adding active material for the cathode, andduring charging, lithium ions from the anode are deposited as metal on top of it factIt is a structure. Since you can completely eliminate layers of graphite or silicon, volumetric energy density increases significantly. The figure of 900Wh/L cannot be achieved without this structure.
but compensation is also clear andthe extracted lithium will be where, in what form, it lands cannot be controlled.If dendrites (branch-like growths) extend to the separator side and cause a short circuit. To prevent this, mechanisms to hold the cell under high pressure and interface designs that maintain uniformity on the growth surface are required. In other words, solid-state batteries without anode are not only about materials but alsoThe structure that presses the cell and the design of the pack are included in one setIt is established. BMW’s system, where modules and packs are handled, is consistent with this point. Unconfirmed / Future。
11. The risks this company faces
| Risks | Content | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| If not adopted, it will not result in sales. | As a battery manufacturer, all-solid-state batteries are business opportunities only when customers are decided. At this point, what has been announced is only a memorandum of understanding for proof of concept, and there is no announcement of a production supply contract. | fact |
| The revenue from the main business is unstable | For the fiscal year ending December 2025, operating loss of 17.24 trillion won. It returned to a profit of 48.2 billion won in the first half of 2026, but the funds for next-generation investment are dependent on the recovery of the core business. | fact |
| Depend on part of the material externally | The solid electrolyte for the demonstration cell for BMW is from Solid Power. It has not been announced whether mass production will be done with in-house materials or external materials. | speculation |
| The mass production site has not been made public. | While aiming for mass production in 2027, the location, capacity, and investment amount of the factory have not been disclosed. It is impossible to verify progress externally. | Unconfirmed / Future |
| Postponement of the target period | The target year of 2027 that was shown in March 2024 is still maintained, but until a concrete image of mass production is presented, it remains subject to change. | Unconfirmed / Future |
| The evolution of liquid cell batteries will become a competitor | The company itself is promoting technology that can charge 8 to 80% in just 9 minutes, long-life batteries with over 20 years of lifespan, and sodium batteries simultaneously. The conditions for selecting all-solid-state batteries are also under internal competition. | speculation |
12. Glossary
- All-solid-state battery
- A battery with electrolyte in a solid state instead of liquid. It has a lower risk of fire and is expected to have high energy density.
- ASB
- Abbreviation for All Solid-state Battery. Samsung SDI uses this abbreviation internally in its organization and documents.
- solid electrolyte
- Solid materials that allow only ions to pass. There are systems such as sulfide-based, oxide-based, and halide-based.
- anodeless
- A configuration without a negative electrode material, allowing lithium metal to deposit on the collector during charging. It has high volumetric efficiency.
- Wh/L
- Energy density per unit volume. It represents how much electricity can be stored in a box of the same size.
- Rectangular / Pouch
- The shape of the outer casing of a battery cell. Rectangular is a metal can, and pouch is an aluminum laminate bag.
- pilot line
- A scaled-down version of the production line. Equipment that allows for the creation of prototypes by going through each process, to verify the feasibility of mass production.
- Business Report
- A document submitted annually by listed companies in South Korea to the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system (DART).
AI-generated conceptual diagram13. Source
- Samsung SDI 2025 fiscal year business report (filed with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service DART, March 10, 2026). Sales revenue, operating profit and loss, research and development expenses, equipment investment amount, number of employees, history, major sales channels, research and development responsible organization (ASB Business Promotion Team), other corporate investment status, leading shareholder’s shareholding ratio. https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954
- Samsung SDI 2026 fiscal year half-year report (filed with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service DART, August 14, 2026). Sales revenue for the first half of 2026, operating profit and loss, research and development expenses, ‘target to mass produce solid-state batteries in 2027’ written, parallel mention of sodium-ion batteries, list of domestic production facilities. https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260814003578
- Samsung SDI Official Press Release ‘SAMSUNG SDI to Collaborate on All-Solid-State Battery Validation Project with BMW Group’ (October 31, 2025). Details of the three-party agreement content and roles, relationship with BMW since 2009. https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4565.html
- Samsung SDI Official Press Release ‘SAMSUNG SDI to Present Essence of Super-Gap Battery Technology at InterBattery 2024’ (March 5, 2024). Production roadmap for 900Wh/L, proprietary solid electrolyte and anodeless technology, establishment of the ASB business promotion team in December 2023, pilot line at the Suwon R&D center, mass production in 2027. https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/3522.html
- Samsung SDI Official press release ‘SAMSUNG SDI Unveils All-Solid-State Battery for Physical AI’ (March 9, 2026). Initial public disclosure of pouch-type all-solid-state battery samples for physical AI, with a target to achieve mass production in the second half of the following year, and a policy of diversifying form factors. https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4782.html
- Samsung SDI Q2 2026 Financial Presentation Materials (English, official IR site). Sales revenue and operating income for the quarter and first half. https://www.samsungsdi.com/upload/download/ir/2026.2Q_IR_Final_En.pdf
14. Table of Correspondence between Claims and Sources
| Main Argument in the Body | Classification | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Official Name • Year of Establishment • Head Office Location • Listing Market • Name Change | fact | Source 2 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260814003578 |
| Sales revenue, department-wise sales, operating income, and research and development expenses for the fiscal year ending December 2025 | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| Sales for the first half of 2026: 73.452 trillion won; Operating profit: 4.82 billion won; Research and development expenses: 85.88 billion won | fact | Source 2.6 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260814003578 |
| Employee count: 12,826 people (as of December 31, 2025, in South Korea) | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| Samsung Electronics holds the largest shareholder position with a 19.44% stake in common shares. | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| The mass production target for solid-state batteries is set for 2027. | fact | Source 2.4 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260814003578 |
| The expression for a finer production timing in the second half of 2027 | fact | Source 5 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4782.html |
| The existence of the ASB business promotion team (organizational chart) and its establishment in December 2023 | fact | Source 1, 4 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/3522.html |
| A pilot line for all-solid-state batteries is located within the R&D center of Mizuho, and it supplies prototype products. | fact | Source 4 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/3522.html |
| Target of 900Wh/L, self-developed solid electrolyte, anodeless technology | fact | Source 4 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/3522.html |
| Three-party agreement with BMW and Solid Power (October 31, 2025) and role division | fact | Source 3 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4565.html |
| Physical AI pouch-type sample’s first public release and form factor diversification | fact | Source 5 https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4782.html |
| Modern Motors Corporation and Kia’s MOU with a robot-specific battery (February 24, 2025) | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| Major distributors are BMW, VW, Samsung Electronics, Stellantis, AES (company-wide) | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| Investment in equipment for 2025 is 32.744 trillion won, and it does not include the breakdown of solid-state batteries | fact | Source 1 https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| Classification of three types of all-solid-state batteries (Automotive / Battery / Startup) | Calculations in this article | Arrangement by this article. Company names are exemplified from the 23 companies in this series |
| Sales, investment amount, and number of full-solid-state battery personnel | Unconfirmed / Future | All are not disclosed. This article does not estimate either. |
| mass production factory of all-solid-state batteries, production capacity, supply contracts, prices, and installed products | Unconfirmed / Future | Not recorded in references 1-5. Do not adopt reported values. https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| system of solid electrolytes adopted (sulfide system, etc.) | Unconfirmed / Future | Not recorded in references 1-5. This article does not estimate. https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/3522.html |
| Investment in solid-state battery startups and specific details of joint research with universities | Unconfirmed / Future | Does not match the list of other corporate investments in reference 1. The name of the research institution is also not recorded. We cannot conclude that it does not exist https://dart.fss.or.kr/dsaf001/main.do?rcpNo=20260310002954 |
| It is read as being at the stage where adoption for external sales is being pursued | speculation | Interpretation based on the perspective of a battery manufacturer and organizational name |
| It is read as meaning that the first exit is not just from electric vehicles | speculation | The observation of this article that the description of the purpose has increased. |
| The interpretation that the company does not limit itself to its own solid electrolyte products. | speculation | The interpretation of this article based on the fact that both the company’s materials and Solid Power’s materials are publicly disclosed. |
| The interpretation that mass production in 2027 will start from a limited launch. | speculation | The forecast of this article based on the fact that the mass production capacity is not yet publicly disclosed. |
| The explanation that the anodeless method is established from concept to pack design | speculation | General technical explanation of all-solid-state batteries and interpretation of this article based on BMW’s role division |
| Risks such as external dependency on materials and internal competition with liquid systems and sodium batteries | speculation | Interpretation of this article from the parallel description of cooperative structure and next-generation technology |
Last Updated: September 23, 2026 / Troy Technical
The numbers in this article are all based on documents filed by Samsung SDI with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Commission’s electronic disclosure system (DART) and its official press releases and official IR materials. We have not used estimates or values from news reports. The ‘estimation’ noted here is the interpretation of the article based on primary information, not the company’s public statements.