Batterix is a company that supplies small and medium-sized lithium battery products and charging solutions. CEO Kim Yunho (48) founded the company in February 2024.
Since participating in an electric bus project in 2011, CEO Kim has spent 13 years working in the lithium battery industry before founding Batterix. He has been directly involved in the development and pilot testing of a wide range of lithium battery applications—from electric bus batteries and energy storage systems (ESS) to industrial vehicle batteries and end-of-life EV batteries.
Batterix’s core offerings include lithium batteries, chargers, and battery management solutions. Lithium batteries are widely used around us due to their high energy density, compact size, and excellent performance. On the other hand, they have the disadvantage of being prone to failure or, in severe cases, fire if not managed properly.
"Lithium batteries are susceptible to damage and a drastically shortened lifespan if they are over-discharged or overcharged. Depending on usage habits and proper management, the lifespan can vary by more than twofold."
Batterix aims to provide a battery management solution that lowers the cost of lithium batteries while enhancing their safety and longevity.
“Conventional lithium battery chargers operate by terminating the charge only after an overcharge state is reached. This approach not only harms the battery but also puts undue stress on individual cells. As a result, the failure of a single cell can render the entire battery pack unusable. In fact, when we disassemble batteries from discarded appliances, we find that most cells are still perfectly functional, with only one or two defective cells in the majority of cases. By carefully managing just the one cell most at risk of failure, the overall lifespan of the entire battery pack can be significantly extended.
Conventional lithium battery products ensure safety and performance by utilizing an advanced Battery Management System (BMS), while most chargers are simple adapters designed merely to increase the battery's voltage. In particular, the balancing method of conventional BMS, which simply equalizes cell voltages, and its pack-level charging approach can concentrate stress on specific cells, making them detrimental to battery life management.
The Batterix lithium battery charge management solution integrates charging, safety, and monitoring functions into the charger. This reduces the unit cost of the battery product and increases its benefits with long-term use. Furthermore, it provides the distinct ability to charge and manage each cell within a battery, minimizing the need to discard an entire product due to a single cell failure.
"We go beyond simply preventing cell overcharge. We have also implemented a method where healthy cells share the load of those in poorer condition, which extends the life of the entire product in the long run. As a result, Batterix provides lithium battery products and management solutions that are safer and last longer than conventional alternatives."
What led CEO Kim to start his own company? "While working in the lithium battery industry, I saw the reality of entire battery packs being discarded over a single faulty cell, simply because the cost of identifying that one cell was too high. I realized that all these discarded but perfectly normal cells represented a business opportunity, which motivated me to start the company."
After founding the company, Kim stated, "I was frustrated by the significant economic value and opportunity cost lost due to the many lithium battery products that were easily discarded—not to mention the environmental concerns. Now, I feel a great sense of satisfaction in contributing to a solution."
Regarding his future plans, Kim said, "We developed our battery product through the Pre-Startup Package and plan to develop our charger via the Early-Stage Startup Package. Our goal is to commercialize these products by early next year after thorough testing and validation."
"We plan to expand to Vietnam, so we will identify local demands and requirements in advance and incorporate them into our commercialization process."
Founded: February 2024
Main Business: Supply and maintenance of Energy Storage Systems (ESS); Supply of lithium battery products and charging solutions for industrial vehicles
Achievements: Selected for the Pre-Startup Package in 2024; Completed development of home/portable ESS products; Selected for the Jeju Technopark project for utilizing end-of-life EV batteries in 2024; Completed development of an 'industrial vehicle battery pack using end-of-life EV batteriesl'; 'Won the Bronze Prize at the 'Startup Competition for Commercializing Defense Technology' hosted by the Agency for Defense Development in 2024; Selected for the Early-Stage Startup Package in 2025; Currently developing a 'smart lithium battery charger with overcharge prevention and a full cell life-cycle management service'
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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