Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Your swanky Mercedes EV could soon run on Samsung battery cells

Mercedes deepens its Korea ties with a new Samsung SDI battery deal

By Vikhyaat Vivek Published April 20, 2026

Mercedes-Benz Steer-by-wire yoke-style steering wheel Featured — Mercedes-Benz

The next Mercedes-Benz EV could draw power from Samsung cells. Samsung SDI has just signed a multi-year battery supply agreement with Mercedes-Benz, marking the Korean company’s first EV battery supply deal with the luxury carmaker.

What to expect from this EV battery deal

Samsung SDI has said that the batteries will use high-nickel NCM chemistry and will go into Mercedes-Benz’s next-generation electric vehicles. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily report, Mercedes plans to use Samsung SDI’s cells in upcoming compact and mid-size electric SUVs and coupe models.

Recommended Videos

While the announcement is light on details right now, it is still a notable announcement.

Why this is a notable supplier shift for Mercedes

The bigger hoke is that this is Samsung SDI’s first battery contract with Mercedes-Benz. Korea JoongAng Daily says Mercedes had previously relied on LG Energy Solution and SK On for EV batteries, while Samsung SDI’s automotive battery relationship had long been anchored by BMW.

Meaning, this is just another routine supply extension. It is Mercedes widening its battery sourcing network at a time when automakers are trying to balance range, performance, cost, and long-term supply security. Samsung SDI says its cells are designed to deliver longer driving range, enhanced longevity, high output performance, and in-house safety solutions.

The report notes that hat Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Källenius met Samsung Electronics executive chairman Lee Jae-yong during a Korea visit last year, and that Mercedes already works with Samsung in other areas including in-vehicle displays and Samsung Wallet digital key support.

So the german automaker is not betting the whole EV future in one supplier. This also arrives as Mercedes-Benz is pushing into EV’s with improved range and charging tech, making this deal seem like a natural next step.

Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience covering consumer hardware, with a focus on…

Topics

Cars

The world’s biggest battery maker just pumped the brakes on solid-state EV hype

CATL chairman Robin Zeng says the technology is still in lab-phase development, with mass-market deployment unlikely before 2030.

Architecture, Building, Shop

Solid-state batteries have been hyped as the technology that will transform electric vehicles, promising higher energy density, faster charging, and improved safety over the lithium-ion cells powering most cars today. But the head of the world's largest battery maker says buyers should not hold their breath.

CATL chairman Dr. Robin Zeng told Caijing Magazine (via CarNewsChina) that large-scale commercialization of solid-state batteries will not be achievable before 2030. The company has set a threshold of 1 million vehicles as the production volume required to justify mass deployment, a figure that remains out of reach for the foreseeable future. When solid-state cells do reach the market, Zeng said initial integration will be limited to premium vehicles priced above 250,000 yuan (roughly $37,000).

Cars

Everything new coming to CarPlay in iOS 27

CarPlay's most meaningful update in years is hiding behind the Siri AI headlines.

Car, Transportation, Vehicle

Apple barely talked about CarPlay at its WWDC 2026 keynote, giving most of the spotlight to Siri AI and the broader Apple Intelligence additions in iOS 27. But that doesn't mean CarPlay is a no-show this year.

The Cupertino giant buried most of the CarPlay updates in a developer-only video, and, as it turns out, there's genuinely more here than you would have expected. As a CarPlay user myself, I'd say some of these features are long overdue, while others tag along with the broader iOS 27 redesign.

Cars

We just got a hot signal that a Tesla and SpaceX merger could happen, after all

Tesla

For years, the idea of Tesla and SpaceX becoming a single company has lived somewhere between ambitious business theory and Elon Musk fan fiction. The two companies already share DNA, leadership influence, engineering talent, and long-term goals. But every time the topic surfaced, it felt more like an interesting thought experiment than a realistic possibility. Now, one of the most important people at SpaceX has added fresh fuel to the conversation.

Speaking in a recent CNBC interview, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell was asked about the possibility of closer ties between Tesla and SpaceX. Her response wasn’t a flat-out denial. In fact, she suggested that bringing the two companies together could make life a little easier for Musk. That may sound like an offhand comment, but coming from Shotwell, it’s noteworthy. She’s been at SpaceX since its earliest days and remains one of the company's most influential executives.