A new alternative for urban transportation, micromobility, has recently been gaining attention. This is because existing transportation options alone are insufficient to address issues such as urban traffic congestion and environmental problems caused by vehicle emissions.

Micromobility refers to small transportation devices powered by eco-friendly energy sources, mainly used for short-distance travel. Examples of micromobility include e-bicycles, e-carts, e-scooters, and e-kickboards, all of which use batteries as their primary power source.

Today, we will explore the key battery features required for micromobility and introduce SAMSUNG SDI’s products with strong technological competitiveness in this field.

[Micromobility has recently been gaining attention as a new transportation]

The most critical features of batteries used in micromobility are safety and cost competitiveness. Since these vehicles are directly ridden by users, safety must be the top priority. And reasonable pricing is also essential for commercialization.

SAMSUNG SDI introduces cylindrical batteries designed to meet these market demands by enhancing safety. In addition to the CID (Current Interrupt Device)* installed at the top of conventional 21700 cells, the company has applied an additional vent* at the bottom, improving safety at a reasonable cost. 

* CID(Current Interrupt Device): A safety device designed to interrupt the current when internal gas of a battery causes pressure to rise due to external impact.

* Vent: A safety device designed to release internal gas when the cell temperature and pressure rise due to external impact such as overcharging or overcurrent.

[Features of batteries used in micromobility]

Meanwhile, battery capacity is particularly important for electric bicycles, as it has a direct impact on driving range and riding time. In the e-bicycle market, these factors are considered key performance metrics, and therefore high-capacity batteries are generally required.

To this end, SAMSUNG SDI improved both cathode and anode materials to develop cylindrical cells with high energy and high density. Securing such high-capacity technology holds significant value in the e-bicycle market, where ‘light weight’ is a key competitive factor. As cell capacity increases, fewer units are needed to achieve the same energy output, leading to an overall battery pack weight of about 1 to 2 kg. 

[The reason why battery capacity is important in e-bicycle market]

Battery technology for micromobility is highly significant, as the same form factor cells can also be applied to a wide range of applications such as drones, urban air mobility (UAM), and robotics. Moving forward, SAMSUNG SDI will continue to drive technological innovation and lead the micromobility market.