LG Energy Solution (LGES) noted on Friday that it is currently engaged in “active discussions” with Tesla and other electric vehicle companies to provide batteries from its planned factory in Arizona. The battery supplier’s comments were shared in a conference call.
While the company did not provide further details about its discussions with Tesla and other EV makers, LGES said that it is reviewing investments in building the new Arizona battery plant, as noted in a Reuters report.
LGES, which supplies batteries to EV makers like Tesla and Lucid, had a successful 2022. The battery maker posted KRW 25.6 trillion (USD20.7 billion) in consolidated revenue and KRW 1.2 trillion (USD974 million) in operating profit in 2022. The company is also aiming to see a 25-30% increase in annual revenue and over 50% increase in capital expenditure this 2023.
LG Energy Solution CFO Chang Sil Lee cited the rising demand for electric vehicles as a significant driver for the battery sector. Lee noted that LGES’ performance in 2022 was due in no small part to economies of scale and other cost optimizations.
“A record-high annual revenue was made possible, as battery shipment has increased across all product line-ups in our proactive response to the increased demands for EVs and power grid energy storage systems (ESS)… Thanks to economies of scale led by sales growth, cost saving achieved through improving productivity, and expanding price-competitive metal sourcing, annual operating profit has also shown a significant growth compared to the previous year,” Lee said.
LG Energy Solution is steadily becoming one of the key players in the growing electric vehicle sector. LGES has been expanding its relationships with car manufacturers throughout the year by beginning production at the GM Ultium Cells facility in Ohio and announcing new partnerships with Stellantis and Honda. The company now intends to increase its worldwide production capacity to 300 GWh by the end of the year.
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