The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on May 11 that the 8th Mobility Innovation Committee approved 16 agenda items, including demonstrations for an “EV battery subscription service” and “vehicle operation in Gwangju’s autonomous driving demonstration city.” South Korean consumers will be able to purchase only the vehicle body of an electric vehicle and lease the expensive battery separately. In addition, 200 autonomous vehicles to be deployed in Gwangju’s autonomous driving demonstration city will be eligible to apply for temporary operation permits without undergoing the self-certification process.

SMM May 12: Dealers in Zhejiang reported that demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was sluggish, with battery sales weakening. Current battery inventory stood at nearly one month, and the battery wholesale market had yet to see sales promotions, with the main model 48V12Ah priced at 280-300 yuan/set. Manufacturers in Jiangsu reported that the off-season trend in the e-bike lead-acid battery market intensified, with dealers showing poor purchasing enthusiasm. Finished battery inventory saw a buildup, and factory operating rates had dropped to around 70%, with plans to halt production for holidays going forward. Manufacturers in Jiangxi reported that replacement demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was sluggish, with finished product orders declining further compared to April. Current factory operating rates remained at 70%. Additionally, lead prices fell today, and on the raw material side, they were considering buying the dip.

[Client Orders Stalled, Panasonic EV Battery Production Delayed Again] Panasonic Holdings' subsidiary Panasonic Energy once again postponed its mass production plan for a new-type EV battery, as it is currently awaiting formal purchase orders from its major client. Panasonic Energy stated in July last year that it was waiting for the client's final feedback on the battery and planned to begin mass production by month-end of March. According to people familiar with the matter, as of now, Panasonic Energy has still not received production approval from the client.

After InterBattery in March, the strategic focus of South Korea's battery industry has been expanding from high-nickel EV batteries to ESS, LFP, AI data centers, and safety. Battery-related conferences in April also indicated that AI-driven R&D, LFP process innovation, next-generation batteries for diverse application scenarios, and improvements in safety and reliability are becoming major directions. This means the standard for "high-end" is expanding from energy density to system reliability, operational stability, supply chain transparency, and AI-driven management capabilities.

SMM April 28: Dealers in Jiangsu reported that replacement demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was sluggish, battery inventory was digesting slowly, and raw material costs such as lead ingots stayed high. The customary sales promotions in the battery market had yet to materialize, with the current wholesale price of the mainstream model 48V12Ah maintained at 280-300 yuan/set. Manufacturers in Zhejiang reported that demand in the e-bike lead-acid battery market was weak, dealers were cautious in procurement, and with the Labour Day holiday approaching, factories plan to shut down for 5 days. In addition, they plan to hold off on additional stockpiling of raw material lead before the holiday. Manufacturers in Shandong reported that the e-bike lead-acid battery market was in the off-season, with poor finished product orders. To avoid inventory buildup, factories maintained operating rates at 50-60%, and raw material lead was purchased only through just-in-time procurement.

Hyundai Motor Group will begin testing a subscription model that separates electric vehicle batteries from vehicle ownership. The group said on April 28 that Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Capital will launch a pilot battery subscription service for corporate taxis in the first half of this year. The pilot will target five IONIQ 5 corporate taxis in the Seoul metropolitan area whose battery warranty periods have expired. Under the program, participating vehicles will use batteries through a monthly subscription fee instead of purchasing them outright. When battery replacement is needed, the existing battery will be returned and another battery will be supplied.