Ecopro BM forms 'all-solid-state one team' to target commercialization by 2027

Ecopro BM has assembled an "all-solid-state one team" linking domestic companies and research institutes across the entire chain — from raw materials and key components to battery cells. With a pilot facility for sulfide-based solid electrolytes already running at an annual capacity of 40 tonnes, the company aims to secure the process technology needed for full-scale mass production and support commercialization of all-solid-state batteries by 2027.

Ecopro BM said Monday it held a kickoff meeting with companies and research institutes participating in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's "Super-eul Project" in Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday, launching joint research and development.

The Super-eul Project is a government-backed research and development support program designed to nurture materials, components and equipment companies with world-class or first-of-its-kind technology. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy selected five companies, including Ecopro BM, for the program earlier this month.

The core of the project is to connect the raw materials, components and cells required for all-solid-state battery development into a single integrated development framework. Ecopro BM leads the project, with the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology and Hanyang University among the participants.

All-solid-state batteries are next-generation batteries that replace the liquid electrolyte used in current lithium-ion batteries with a solid equivalent. High energy density and safety are seen as key advantages, and potential applications are expected to expand beyond electric vehicles to include humanoid robots and other devices that require large amounts of energy stored in compact spaces.

Ecopro BM's role in the project centers on sulfide-based solid electrolytes. The company will source high-purity lithium sulfide (Li2S) from external raw material suppliers, manufacture solid electrolytes from it and develop the process technology needed to produce them at scale.

The critical challenge is bridging the gap between laboratory-level material performance and full mass production. Ecopro BM plans to develop technology to control the process variables that can arise during mass production — ensuring uniform crystal morphology, removing impurities and maintaining consistent particle size.

The finished solid electrolytes will be delivered to domestic battery cell makers, which will incorporate them into actual all-solid-state battery cells to test performance and stability. By running material development and cell verification in parallel, the company aims to shorten the time to commercialization.

Ecopro BM already operates a sulfide-based solid electrolyte pilot plant with an annual capacity of 40 tonnes. Going forward, it plans to focus on transferring the technology developed at the pilot stage to a mass production system and driving down manufacturing costs.

All-solid-state batteries are widely regarded as a next-generation growth driver for the battery industry, but significant hurdles remain — among them the high cost of solid electrolytes, mass production technology and the stability of interfaces inside cells. Ultimately, the timing of commercialization is expected to hinge not only on material performance but on how cheaply and consistently the electrolytes can be produced at scale.

Ecopro BM plans to share its development timeline with domestic battery cell makers and push for early commercialization of sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries by 2027.

"Building on our success at the pilot stage, we will optimize the mass production process to bring down manufacturing costs," said Jung Hyun-su, Ecopro BM's head of future technology. "We will advance our differentiated process technology to ensure cell makers can commercialize all-solid-state batteries without a hitch."