Samsung SDI reportedly to supply battery cells to Volkswagen
According to a report by the South Korean portal The Elec, which Volkswagen has not yet confirmed, Samsung SDI has secured a major order from the Volkswagen Group to supply battery cells for its electric vehicles. The reported deal concerns the Unified Cell that the automotive group unveiled under then-CEO Herbert Diess during its Power Day event in March 2021. The Unified Cell is a prismatic battery cell with a standardised format measuring 256 x 24.8 x 106 millimetres.
To date, the Unified Cell has been produced at the cell factory of VW subsidiary PowerCo in Salzgitter, which was inaugurated in December, as well as at the plant of Chinese partner Gotion in Hefei. If the report by The Elec is accurate, Samsung SDI would become the third strategic supplier for the Unified Cell.
According to the report, Samsung SDI is retrofitting two production lines at its plant in Göd, Hungary, to manufacture the Unified Cell. The conversion involves switching from conventional ‘top-terminal’ cells to the ‘side-terminal’ design that VW now favours for the Unified Cell. Series production is reportedly set to begin as early as 2027, with estimated production capacity in the double-digit gigawatt-hour (GWh) range.
To adapt the Unified Cell to the requirements of various vehicles, ranging from small electric cars such as the new ID. Polo to large luxury SUVs or Porsche sports cars, the standardised format can be filled with different cell chemistries, including LFP or NMC, and even future solid-state cells.
Speculation that Samsung SDI could become a supplier of Unified Cells for Volkswagen first emerged in 2021. However, the companies never confirmed those plans. The two firms have nevertheless worked together for years, with VW selecting Samsung SDI as a supplier for other battery cells as early as 2018. Sourcing Unified Cells from Samsung SDI’s plant in Hungary could help VW meet the requirements of the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act. The legislation is intended to strengthen value creation in Europe and ensure that EU member states apply strict ‘Made in EU’ rules in tenders and funding programmes.
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