Date: 2025-08-07 hits: 108
According to South Korean media outlet theelec, China's GEM may be the supplier of NCMA materials for LG Energy Solution's 4680 cylindrical battery.
The report indicates that GEM and LG Chem established a partnership in the nickel precursor field in 2019, but the details of the subsequent collaboration have been kept secret. Currently, the company has become a core partner in Ecopro's "Building a Low-Cost Battery Materials Supply Chain" project. GEM's NCMA precursors are likely to be delivered to LG Chem and incorporated into LG Energy Solution's 46-series battery cells.
NCMA is a quaternary material that combines metal compounds such as nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn) with aluminum (Al) to improve output and safety. LG Energy Solution is advancing production of 46-series cylindrical batteries based on NCMA.
GEM's Jingmen plant is a core export base for GEM, which also supplies products to South Korean companies. Its NCMA precursor production capacity is 2,000 tons per month, or 24,000 tons per year, sufficient to produce 400,000 electric vehicles. In April of this year, NCM precursors produced at the plant were delivered to Ecopro. Last November, LG Energy Solution reached a five-year supply agreement with US electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian for 4695 cylindrical batteries, totaling 67GWh. It also signed a preliminary agreement with US-based Bear Robotics to become the company's sole cylindrical battery supplier, with deliveries beginning in 2025.
In June of this year, LG Energy Solution also signed a six-year supply contract with Chery Automobile to supply 46 series cylindrical batteries to Chery's subsidiary O&J. The order totals 8GWh, enough to power approximately 120,000 electric vehicles.
LG Energy Solution currently plans to produce 4680 batteries primarily in South Korea and the United States. According to the plan, mass production will begin at its Ochang plant in South Korea in the second half of this year, and at its Arizona plant in the first half of 2026, with commercial production commencing in the second half of the year. The Arizona plant, with a total construction cost of $5.5 billion and approximately 60% complete, is a key base for LG Energy Solution in the North American market. It will supply products for Rivian's "R2" electric vehicle and Tesla's energy storage system (ESS), with the lead product being the next-generation 46-series cylindrical battery.
In addition to LG Energy Solution, another South Korean battery giant, Samsung SDI, is also accelerating production of its 46-series large cylindrical batteries, with potential supply to BMW.
According to reports, Korean media outlet etnews, citing industry insiders, reports that Samsung SDI will mass-produce its first 46p cylindrical battery for electric vehicles at its Hungarian plant, targeting mass production in 2028. Investment in the production line will begin this month (August).
The 46p cylindrical battery, Samsung SDI's next-generation product, has a diameter of 46mm and can be manufactured in various heights, including 80, 95, 100, and 120mm. Compared to the existing 2170 standard cylindrical battery, it boasts over five times the energy capacity and output.
The report indicates that the first 46p cylindrical battery mass-produced at Samsung SDI's Hungarian plant is expected to be the 4695, and is expected to be used in the next generation of electric vehicles from BMW, a strategic European customer.
BMW was the first automaker to introduce large cylindrical batteries this year. The company announced on February 20th that BMW's large cylindrical batteries would soon be used in its vehicles. According to BMW's public information, the new 46mm diameter cylindrical battery cell is designed specifically for the electrical and electronic architecture of BMW's "next generation" vehicles and can increase driving range by up to 30% (WLTP). Compared to the fifth-generation prismatic cell, the sixth-generation cylindrical cell has a higher nickel content in the negative electrode, a lower cobalt content, and an increased silicon content in the positive electrode, resulting in a volumetric energy density increase of over 20%.
To date, BMW has publicly identified three suppliers of large cylindrical batteries as CATL, EVE Energy, and Envision Power. CATL and EVE Energy will each build two new battery factories in China and Europe, respectively, with each factory having an annual production capacity of 20GWh of power batteries. According to a report on November 20th of last year, Jason Chen, CATL's regional operations director, stated that CATL's new battery manufacturing plant in Hungary is expected to begin production in the second half of 2025, with the production of 4680 batteries expected to gradually increase thereafter.
EVE Energy's Hungarian factory officially received construction permits in April of this year. The project, with a total investment of 9.971 billion yuan, plans to produce 30GWh of large cylindrical batteries annually, with construction planned in three phases.
Envision Power will be responsible for the construction of a high-voltage battery assembly plant in South Carolina, USA, with a planned production capacity of 30GWh, with supply beginning in 2026.
In addition, previous reports indicate that BMW's demand is for 4695 and 46120 battery cells, which have the same 46mm diameter but are 95mm and 120mm tall, respectively, instead of 80mm.
Based on this, Samsung SDI, already a battery supplier for BMW, is likely to become BMW's fourth cylindrical battery supplier.
Cylindrical batteries have become a popular battery technology in recent years due to their advantages, including high energy density, high safety, long lifespan, and affordability, attracting a wave of investment from companies across the industry chain.
According to incomplete statistics, on the battery manufacturing side, companies such as CATL, Sinotruk, EVE Energy, Repulse Lanjun, LG Energy Solution, Panasonic, Samsung SD, Envision Power, and BAK Battery have already made their presence felt.
On the battery application side, automakers that have publicly announced or are considering using large cylindrical batteries include Tesla, BMW, Volvo, Stellantis, Dongfeng Lantu, JAC Motors, Porsche, and NIO.
On the product side, the 4680 battery, with a diameter of 46 mm and a height of 80 mm, is a representative example of the 46 large cylindrical battery. Developed by Tesla based on Panasonic's small 2170 cylindrical battery, this model was launched in 2020. Its key innovation is to increase energy density by changing the battery's appearance. However, mass production has been repeatedly delayed due to numerous challenges, such as yield issues. However, overall, the 46-cylinder battery, which has already seen significant investment in manpower, financial resources, and materials, has become a crucial industry battleground. According to predictions from major research institutions, global demand for large cylindrical batteries will reach hundreds of GWh by 2025, and will increase four to fivefold by 2030, corresponding to a market size of hundreds of billions of yuan.
Eve Energy Chairman Liu Jincheng has stated that large cylindrical batteries will become the primary application for future mid- and high-end vehicles.
Based on the aforementioned companies' investments, passenger vehicles are the mainstream application market. Beyond this, niche application markets are also worth exploring. At the end of July, Ola Electric, India's largest electric two-wheeler company, launched its Roadster series of electric motorcycles and announced plans to use 4680 cell integrated battery packs in its models starting in 2026.
Ola Electric has previously stated that electric motorcycles using the 4680 large cylindrical cell will be the company's top-of-the-line offering, boasting an energy density of 275Wh/kg, a capacity of 9.1kWh, and a range of 502 kilometers. The price tag is certainly high. It's reported that the Ola Electric's 4680-cylinder electric scooter is priced at 150,000 rupees (approximately 12,300 RMB).
India has one of the highest motorcycle consumption rates in the world and is considered a highly promising electric vehicle market. The Indian government aims to convert 100% of the country's two- and three-wheeled vehicles to electric vehicles by 2030, while simultaneously increasing the proportion of electric vehicle sales to 30%. This demonstrates the enormous opportunities in India's electrification market, and motorcycles, as a mainstream mode of transportation, hold particular promise.
It is reported that Chinese battery companies such as EVE Energy and BAK have already exported cylindrical batteries to Indian electric motorcycle companies.
However, it is worth noting that Ola Electric's electric motorcycle, equipped with the large cylindrical 4680, will not be released until 2026, and may face the same mass production challenges as Tesla's 4680.
Whether Ola Electric's 4680 electric motorcycle can be launched on schedule and what market feedback it will receive will provide an important window into the 4680 market segment.
