SK On seeks partnership with Chinese automaker Geely

SK On CEO, Lee Seok-hee, attended CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where he explored potential business collaborations.

Lee toured the exhibition booths of Hyundai Motor Group and Geely Auto, and held talks with Geely’s vice president Li Chuanhai.

Lee said the South Korean battery manufacturer is diversifying its business in response to a slowdown in EV demand and restructuring after ending its joint venture with Ford in the US.

He also mentioned plans to expand into lithium iron phosphate-based energy storage systems, and said the company expects to see results from these efforts by the end of the year.

🔗 Source: Yonhap

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Hyundai–SK On Georgia battery joint venture start date, capacity and investment figures vary by source

SK On’s CEO said the Georgia JV with Hyundai will start in 2026 1. Prior releases set second half 2025, 35 GWh a year for about 300,000 EVs, with $5 billion split evenly 1.
A separate report lists $1.88 billion for 20 GWh starting Q1 2026 2. That clashes with the figures above.
The plant will supply cells to Hyundai Mobis (Hyundai’s parts and module unit) for pack assembly for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models built at nearby US sites 1.
This would be the third Georgia battery plant with SK On, after two SK Battery America sites (SK On’s US manufacturing arm) 3. The company targets more than 180 GWh in the US once all projects complete 3.

SK On moves into lithium iron phosphate (LFP) storage, opening near-term deals for integrators and developers

SK On signed a 7.2 GWh supply deal with Flatiron Energy Development through 2030 4. Deliveries of containerized battery energy storage systems (BESS) totaling 1 GWh start in H2 2026 from its Georgia site 4. This sets a model for other developers and utilities.
Inverter manufacturers (which convert direct current to alternating current) and battery management system (BMS) vendors get integration openings. SK On’s BESS adds electrochemical impedance spectroscopy diagnostics for cell health, plus heat propagation prevention to stop failures spreading between cells 4.
SK On teamed with Standard Energy, an energy storage company focused on vanadium ion battery technology, a type of flow battery that stores energy in vanadium-based electrolytes 5. The pair will pursue storage under four hours for data centers and industrial sites where fire safety matters, which creates room for specialized integrators 5.