South Korean battery manufacturer Samsung SDI has announced that it will produce prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for stationary energy storage applications in the United States. The company will convert some existing lines at its EV factory in Indiana to make ESS batteries.
Samsung currently operates from the StarPlus energy factory in Kokomo, Indiana. The site is a joint venture between Samsung and Stellantis and initially had an annual production capacity of 34 GWh.
Samsung SDI’s prismatic LFP cells for ESS are packaged in a 20-ft container called the Samsung Battery Box (SBB) 2.0. The company launched the first edition of SBB with its flagship NCA cells in 2023. By expanding its portfolio with LFP technology, Samsung SDI is poised to strengthen its differentiated technology lead and further accelerate the global expansion of its prismatic batteries for ESS.
Compared to ESS that uses other types of LFP cells, Samsung SDI says its prismatic LFP cells are more resistant to external shocks thanks to the aluminum housing with safety features such as vents and fuses. For safety reasons, there is a growing preference for prismatic cells from both the EV and ESS sectors.
Using the prismatic cells, SBB features patented No Thermal Propagation (No TP) technology – which prevents heat from spreading to adjacent cells by placing thermal insulation materials between cells and measuring the temperature of a specific cell via a prediction program.
Samsung SDI will be the only non-Chinese prismatic LFP battery manufacturer operating in the United States.
