South Korean battery manufacturer Samsung SDI Company Ltd announced this week that it recently began production of its newly-developed 46-series cylindrical batteries, a year ahead of schedule, for a customer based in the US for use in “micro-mobility” products.

The next-generation 4695 battery cells, measuring 46 mm in diameter and 95 mm in height, are much larger and have six times the energy capacity of their 21700-series predecessors, requiring fewer cells for the same capacity. They feature high-nickel NCA (nickel, cobalt and aluminum) cathodes and the company’s proprietary SCN (silicon carbon nanocomposite) anode technology.

The 4695 battery cells are produced at Samsung SDI’s plant in Cheonan, South Korea, and assembled into modules at its Samsung SDI Vietnam subsidiary. The company celebrated its first shipment of 4695 battery modules from Vietnam at the end of March, and plans to ramp up production and expand its customer-base to include mainstream electric vehicle manufacturers.

Samsung SDI said it was scheduled to begin commercial production of the 46-series batteries in 2026, but was able to bring the launch forward by more than a year due to “differentiated manufacturing competitiveness, technological edge and quality management.”

The company claims its 46-series batteries feature “cutting-edge chemistry” which provides high energy density and a longer lifecycle, while improving safety by preventing “swelling.” The “tabless” design of the batteries, whereby electrodes are connected directly to the current collectors without the need for traditional tabs, has improved the current flow path and reduced internal resistance by 90%, providing higher energy output.