# SES AI expands Chungju battery plant to three million cells

*The battery maker reached an annual run-rate of one million pouch cells in South Korea and is tripling capacity to meet defense-grade drone hardware demand by the second quarter of 2027.*

**Published:** October 19, 2026  
**By:** Seung-min Park  
**Section:** Batteries & Electric Vehicles — South Korea  
**Format:** Company Watch  
**Confidence:** medium  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/batteries-ev/ses-ai-expands-chungju-battery-plant-three-million-cells-813  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- SES AI reached one million cells annual capacity in Chungju on Oct. 19
- Facility expansion targets three million cells per year by Q2 2027
- Drone OEMs conduct on-site audits to meet US NDAA battery rules

![A worker in protective cleanroom gear handles a component on a conveyor line at the SES AI battery manufacturing facility in Chungju. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-19-6fc44be7c6f6.webp)
*A worker in protective cleanroom gear handles a component on a conveyor line at the SES AI battery manufacturing facility in Chungju. (AI-generated image)*

SES AI Corporation said Oct. 19 it finished ramping its Chungju battery facility to one million cells annually and began expanding toward three million cells per year by mid-2027.

The Chungju plant operates as the company's primary manufacturing facility, producing specialized pouch cells for unmanned aerial systems. The planned expansion triples factory throughput to meet rising orders from overseas drone makers.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "SES AI expands Chungju battery plant to three million cells," October 19, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/batteries-ev/ses-ai-expands-chungju-battery-plant-three-million-cells-813