LG Energy Solution is seizing the initiative in the high-performance robot battery market, having secured supply deals with all three of the United States’ leading humanoid robot developers: Figure AI, Boston Dynamics, and Tesla. After being pressured by Chinese lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the electric vehicle market, South Korea’s battery industry is now taking the lead in the humanoid sector—where weight and space constraints are far more severe—by leveraging its high-energy-density ternary batteries.
According to industry sources and a report by The Korea Economic Daily on the 2nd, LG Energy Solution recently obtained product approval for humanoid robot batteries from Figure AI, Boston Dynamics, and China’s Unitree. Product approval signifies that the batteries have passed the customer’s stringent criteria for performance, safety, and lifespan. LG Energy Solution will now coordinate specific pricing, supply volumes, and delivery schedules with these companies.
LG Energy Solution is also preparing to supply batteries for the initial production run of Tesla’s humanoid robot “Optimus” in the second half of this year. While Tesla has primarily used CATL’s LFP batteries in its electric vehicles, it plans to equip Optimus mainly with LG Energy Solution’s high-nickel ternary batteries. Supply volumes are expected to expand significantly starting next year, reaching tens of thousands of units.
The biggest challenge for humanoid robot batteries is operating time. While electric vehicles can utilize the entire underbody as battery space, humanoid robots must fit batteries into extremely confined areas—less than 10% of the total body surface, such as the back and chest. To reduce the robot’s weight, batteries must be both lightweight and energy-dense. This is why nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) ternary batteries, which can store more energy at the same weight, are considered superior to LFP batteries.
South Korea’s technological edge in the high-performance battery market is clear. Chinese battery makers’ strength lies in LFP batteries, which are cheaper and more fire-resistant, but their lower energy density and heavier weight mean that even the highest-spec LFP batteries struggle to power a humanoid for more than an hour. This is why numerous Chinese robotics companies, including Unitree, are bypassing domestic battery suppliers and knocking on LG Energy Solution’s door. Chinese manufacturers such as CATL and BYD, having focused heavily on LFP technology, face difficulties in mass-producing high-nickel batteries with over 90% nickel content. In Japan, aside from Panasonic, no battery companies have actively entered the robot market.
The battery LG Energy Solution will supply for Tesla’s Optimus is the 2170 cylindrical format (21mm diameter, 70mm height)—the same specification used in vehicles like the Tesla Model Y Long Range. This compatibility with Optimus offers the advantage of requiring no separate development costs. The battery capacity is in the 1.5–2 kWh range, enabling approximately two hours of operation. When upgraded to the next-generation 4680 cylindrical format (46mm diameter, 80mm height), energy density is expected to increase by 20–30% or more, further extending operating time.
The growth potential of the robot battery market is also noteworthy. Global investment bank Morgan Stanley projects that the humanoid market will exceed 1,800 trillion won (approximately $1.2 trillion) by 2040. Considering that batteries account for roughly 5–10% of a robot’s total cost, this represents a new market worth approximately 100 trillion won (approximately $64.6 billion) for battery companies alone.
Beyond batteries, South Korean companies are also actively targeting the humanoid components market. Daedong Metal (020400), a casting materials and parts specialist founded in 1947, held a press conference in Seoul’s Yeouido district on the 2nd, announcing it is developing ultra-lightweight robot components for Boston Dynamics’ “Atlas.” Daedong Metal began developing parts for Boston Dynamics in 2023 and is currently conducting process development and verification work on lightweight components that weigh one-third as much as aluminum and incorporate electromagnetic shielding and vibration damping technologies. To support this effort, Daedong Metal recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) to jointly develop next-generation alloy components for robotics and mobility applications.
At the event, Daedong Metal outlined its mid-to-long-term growth strategy, targeting revenue of 240 billion won (approximately $155.1 million) and operating profit of 12.5 billion won (approximately $8.1 million) by 2030. CEO Lee Poong-woo stated, “We will transform into a future industrial materials and parts company through high-value precision casting, advanced materials, and manufacturing AI transformation.” The company plans to restructure its business—where automobiles and agricultural machinery currently account for about 64% of total revenue—toward high-value industries such as semiconductors, robotics, and smart farms, aiming to raise the revenue share of new businesses to 28% by 2030.
As mass production competition for humanoid robots intensifies, the battle for dominance in the core components market is heating up. China’s Unitree, currently the leader in mass production, is targeting shipments of up to 20,000 humanoids this year, with a base price of just 99,000 yuan (approximately $14,584), demonstrating strong cost competitiveness. Tesla, meanwhile, plans to begin mass production of Optimus as early as late July, while Hyundai Motor Group aims to produce Atlas at a scale of 30,000 units annually by 2028. Securing both performance and price competitiveness is emerging as the key factor that will determine winners and losers in the humanoid market.