LG Chem and Samsung SDI Score Highest in Navigant Research Assessment of Lithium Ion Battery Manufacturers

A new Leaderboard Report from Navigant Research examines the strategy and execution of 15 leading lithium ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturers, including vendor profiles, ratings, and rankings, with the goal of providing industry participants an objective assessment of these companies’ relative strengths and weaknesses in the market.

Due to an attractive combination of energy density, efficiency, and price points, Li-ion is emerging as a go-to technology for many energy storage system developers. In recent years, two Li-ion battery manufacturers have emerged as leaders in the grid storage market based on sound strategy, diverse target markets, well-developed manufacturing capabilities, and strong partnerships.

According to a new Leaderboard report from Navigant Research, LG Chem and Samsung SDI lead the Li-ion grid storage market in terms of strategy and execution.

“LG Chem and Samsung SDI, both based in South Korea, have market-leading businesses for the electric vehicle and consumer electronics markets, which has created a foundation allowing for economies of scale through manufacturing,” says Anissa Dehamna, principle research analyst with Navigant Research. “Both companies have positioned themselves as global manufacturers and can offer consistently low prices for quality Li-ion cells.”

Although large, leading multinational players have emerged as market leaders, niche entrants are well-positioned to grow with the grid storage market, according to the report. Companies often specialize in one or more subchemistries of Li-ion, which are better suited for certain applications on the grid, creating a diverse and competitive manufacturing landscape.

The report, Navigant Research Leaderboard Report: Li-Ion Grid Storage, examines the strategy and execution of 15 leading Li-ion battery manufacturers that are active in the stationary energy storage market. These players are rated on 12 criteria: vision, go-to market strategy, partners, production strategy, technology, geographic reach, sales, marketing, and distribution, product performance, product quality and reliability, product portfolio, pricing, and staying power.

Using Navigant Research’s proprietary Leaderboard methodology, vendors are profiled, rated, and ranked with the goal of providing industry participants with an objective assessment of these companies’ relative strengths and weaknesses in the global Li-ion stationary storage market. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.