LG Energy Solution teams up with US firm for aerospace battery cell

A promotion image of South 8, a U.S. startup developing liquefied gas electrolyte / Captured from South 8's website

LG Energy Solution has teamed up with United States startup South 8 to jointly develop space-rated lithium-ion batteries, the Korean battery giant said Wednesday.

LG Energy Solution and South Technologies signed a “strategic partnership for aerospace battery cell research and development.” The agreement marks LG Energy Solution's foray into the aerospace battery market, which requires technologies that can withstand harsh environments including extreme low temperatures.

Founded in 2013, South 8 specializes in electrolyte, a key material for rechargeable batteries. It was recognized as one of TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2024 with its world's first liquefied gas electrolyte, LiGas.

LiGas replaces conventional liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion cells, enabling ultra-low temperature operation down to minus 60 degrees Celsius, significantly outperforming conventional liquid electrolytes that struggle below minus 20 degrees Celsius. LiGas batteries also has shorter burning time compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries.

LiGas also has the potential to drastically improve battery safety under physical or electrical shocks. When shocks are detected, the liquid solvent inside the battery rapidly evaporates, lowering the cell temperature and expelling the vaporized electrolyte. This process effectively turns the cell into a nonfunctional dummy cell, greatly reducing the risk of thermal incidents, LG Energy Solution said.

The two companies' cooperation is part of an aerospace initiative involving energy storage solution giant KULR Technology Group and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop cold-temperature battery solutions for deep space missions. LG Energy Solution and South 8 are also participating into this project.

As part of their partnership, LG Energy Solution will support the design, testing and evaluation of battery cells. South 8 Technologies will then manufacture enhanced battery cells using its LiGas technology.

The cells will be integrated into KULR's One Space battery architecture platform, delivering performance optimized for extreme conditions in space missions.

“The liquefied gas electrolyte technology fundamentally addresses the long-standing issues of battery performance degradation in extreme cold environments,” LG Energy Solution Chief Technology Officer Kim Je-young said. “We anticipate that this technology will unlock unprecedented possibilities to pioneer new products and applications including the space.”

LG Energy Solution first partnered with South 8 through its Startup Challenge Program in 2019 and has maintained active collaboration since. In 2024, the companies signed a joint development agreement and began the development of the liquefied gas electrolyte-based batteries.