▲ A Ford’s F-150 Lightning pickup truck that uses SK On’s NCM9 battery cell (Image source: Ford’s homepage)

After the official launching of Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the electric model of F-150, on April 26 (US local time), the fleet is gaining massive popularity and delivery to customers is currently on the way with great anticipation.

Accordingly, SK On, the supplier of battery cells to F-150 Lightning, is predicted to see an exponential increase in its production following the high demand for the car.

Due to expensive delivery fees, pickups in the United States are the go-to vehicle for most Americans who personally drive to nearby supermarkets for grocery shopping. Last year, the top three vehicles sold in the United States were pickup trucks, and among them Ford’s F-150 is known to be the best-selling pickup truck in the country. Ever since its first release in the market in 1977, it has always cinched this title, as since 1981 the car has always been in the top two best-selling cars of the year.

Reflecting its unrivaled popularity is the number of pre-orders made for F-150 Lightning, which reached a whopping 200,000. Ford decided to close the pre-order and not extend the period after considering its production plan because, to meet the pre-order volume, the company must produce this model nonstop until 2023. Ford has also decided to almost double the annual production from 80,000 to 150,000.

▲ SK On’s NCM9 battery cells are used in Ford’s F-150 Lightning series (Image source: Ford’s homepage)

The industry evaluates that the huge success of the F-150 Lightning would yield positive results for SK On as well.

In Georgia, SK On has been operating its first electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in the U.S. since January this year. This plant is currently producing the NCM9 battery for Ford.

NCM is the abbreviation of Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt, which are the three main materials of the battery, and number 9 indicates that this type of battery cell has the proportion of nickel up to nearly 90%. The higher the nickel, the higher energy and better battery output, but it is difficult to manufacture without advanced technology that ensures safety.

With its successful development of NCM9, SK On won an honoree in two categories of CES 2022 Innovation Awards: “In-Vehicle Entertainment & Safety”, and “Embedded Technologies.” This means the company’s outstanding technology was recognized globally.

▲ Visitors take a look at SK On’s NCM9 battery cell displayed inside SK’s exhibition hall at CES 2022 held in Las Vegas, the U.S.

There are few reasons behind F-150 Lightning’s popularity according to market analysists, including the outstanding performance of its battery, which is the core component of an EV. In particular, the main factor behind the consumers’ choice is SK On battery’s safety and efficiency that the company’s batteries have never caught fire, and the pickup trucks can travel up to 482km with a single charge, based on EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency) standards.

Many industry experts believe that the recent success of the F-150 Lightning would positively add to the momentum SK On has been showing lately.

According to SNE Research, from January to end of May this year, the total volume of battery cell SK On has sold is 10.8GWh, which is a 131% YoY increase compared to 4.7GWh last year. Among South Korean battery makers, SK On is the only company that hit triple-digit growth.

The steep increase in sales volume translated to its market share. From January to May, SK On recorded a 6.8% market share, an YoY increase of 1.6% point from 5.2% last year. This made SK On to be the only EV producer in South Korea with an increased global market share.

The strong sales of Hyundai’s IONIQ 5, KIA’s EV6 and KIA’s Niro are said to have contributed largely to the recent growth of SK On.

“We’re ceaselessly producing the batteries for F-150 Lightning,” said an official of SK On. “As it is the best-selling vehicle in the States, we also expect it will lead to a strong boost in our sales.”