Seoul, April 20, 2026, 17:45 KST
- Samsung SDI landed its inaugural contract to supply Mercedes-Benz with EV batteries, specifically high-nickel NCM cells.
- CATL is gearing up for a battery tech event, with sodium-ion batteries, condensed batteries, and fast charging slated as the headline topics.
- European registrations for fully electric cars jumped 29.4% in the first quarter, putting more heat on automakers over range, pricing, and charging speed.
Samsung SDI has landed its first battery supply agreement with Mercedes-Benz, marking a notable move for the South Korean manufacturer as it teams up with the German luxury automaker. On Monday, Samsung SDI confirmed the batteries will feature high-nickel NCM chemistry—nickel, cobalt, manganese—targeting Mercedes’ upcoming electric vehicle lineup. The company declined to reveal the value of the deal, according to Reuters.
This deal comes into focus as the EV race shifts from just brand appeal to the guts of the car—think battery range, charge times, cost curves, and locking in materials. In Europe, battery-electric vehicle registrations jumped 29.4% in the first quarter, data from E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive show. “Oil dependence has become a real vulnerability,” Chris Heron, secretary general of E-Mobility Europe, told Reuters. Reuters
Mercedes is making its electric ambitions clear in South Korea. On Monday evening, the automaker planned to debut its all-electric C-Class in the country, while top executives held talks with Korean battery and display suppliers. “We want to strengthen collaboration in core technology areas with Korean partners,” said Jörg Burzer, chief technology officer at Mercedes-Benz. Korea Joongang Daily
Samsung SDI says its batteries are headed for future compact and mid-size Mercedes electric SUVs and coupe models. These high-nickel NCM cells are built to pack in more energy — good news for range, but they also put nickel and cobalt supply chains under the spotlight. The company added that broader cooperation with Mercedes on next-generation battery tech is also on the table.
Samsung SDI is now joining Mercedes’ battery supply roster, slotting in alongside other Korean players already in the mix. Mercedes has tapped both LG Energy Solution and SK On in the past, with LG picked last year to provide LFP batteries—lithium iron phosphate cells that tend to go into budget EVs and storage setups. Mercedes leaders also held talks with LG Energy Solution execs in Korea, covering electrification, digitalization, and mobility plans.
Battery headlines weren’t limited to Seoul. CATL, the biggest EV battery producer globally, has an event set for April 21 in China, and expectations are running high: sodium-ion cells, condensed batteries, and fast-charging tech are all on the agenda. Sodium-ion swaps lithium out for sodium—a cheaper, more plentiful element—though scaling up and matching lithium’s performance are still hurdles. CATL is calling this launch its most tech-focused since the company’s start.
That’s adding strain for both rivals and buyers. BYD has injected rapid charging into the European debate with its Denza Z9GT—according to the company, that car can go from 10% to 70% in five minutes thanks to its “flash charging” tech. But as Reuters pointed out in March, Europe doesn’t yet have charging stations delivering the 1,500-kilowatt punch needed for that promise. Battery innovation, it seems, is still outpacing what the grid and public chargers can actually handle. Reuters
Mercedes is pressing ahead with a broader overhaul, with the battery arrangement just one part of it. The upcoming electric C-Class will sit on a ground-up EV platform—engineered for batteries from the start, not retrofitted from gas models. The company’s also touting a heat pump, which manages cabin temperature more efficiently than standard systems and helps keep driving range up when it gets cold.
Conditions are getting better, though not across the board. According to E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive, more than 240,000 fully electric vehicles were registered in 15 European countries in March—a 51.3% jump versus the same month last year. First-quarter registrations nearly hit 560,000. Year-to-date, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland each logged growth north of 40%.
Plenty remains unclear. Samsung and Mercedes kept quiet on supply numbers, pricing, and delivery schedules, making it tough to pin down the deal’s real significance. CATL hasn’t revealed specifics on its sodium-ion tech or fast-charging either. Ultra-fast charging isn’t just a question of battery improvement—it calls for costly equipment upgrades and beefier grid hookups. And if fuel prices slide, the recent bump in European demand might not hold up.
The message today isn’t hard to read. Car companies are working to make EVs stand on their own, dialing back reliance on subsidies and pushing for practical gains—think better range, faster charging, cheaper battery materials, and closer relationships with suppliers. Mercedes-Benz teaming up with Samsung SDI? That’s a sign: the real competition is shifting from the sales floor to the guts of the battery itself.
