Coreshell Appoints Industry Veteran Young-Duk Kim as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing & Commercialization

Former Ultium and LG Energy Solution executive brings industry-scale expertise to accelerate Coreshell's next phase of growth

SAN LEANDRO, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Coreshell, a battery technology company, today announced the appointment of Young-Duk Kim as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Commercialization. Kim brings over two decades of leadership experience in battery manufacturing and R&D.

Most recently, he served as the factory head for Ultium Cells Tennessee, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, where he led the successful greenfield launch of a 45 GWh battery facility. Prior to that, he held Vice President roles at LG Energy Solution, leading global operations, R&D and open innovation, and product design with leading OEMs. 

Kim's arrival comes at a pivotal moment for Coreshell as the company transitions from technical diligence to commercial-format qualification with global OEMs and rapidly scales its manufacturing capabilities. He will lead operations and implement the company's strategy to expand its manufacturing footprint, starting with its newly built 4 MWh facility in San Leandro, California, and the development of a 100 MWh site. With Kim's leadership, Coreshell is well-positioned to meet the growing demand of commercial samples of 60 Ah battery cells incorporating Coreshell's metallurgical silicon anodes to global automakers in 2025.

Until now, no battery company has been able to unlock the full potential of metallurgical silicon for EV-scale production. Coreshell has achieved a breakthrough by solving key silicon-related challenges through its proprietary nanomaterials and cell design, which enable the use of low-cost, earth-abundant materials to create affordable, high-performance batteries. By harnessing minimally processed metallurgical silicon sourced domestically and costing nearly half as much as graphite, Coreshell's batteries deliver over 30% more range while reducing cell costs by up to 25%. This innovation not only improves performance and economics, but also significantly reduces the industry's dependence on Chinese graphite, a supply chain vulnerability for most EV manufacturers.

"Young-Duk is one of the few people in the U.S. who has successfully commissioned a battery gigafactory," said Jonathan Tan, CEO of Coreshell. "As we ramp up production, his deep understanding of both battery R&D and high-volume manufacturing - combined with his proven leadership - will be instrumental in our transition from startup to commercial battery producer. His addition to our executive team underscores Coreshell's commitment to delivering at scale for OEMs, partners, and investors." 

"What drew me to Coreshell is its unique ability to combine breakthrough battery performance with scalable, cost-effective manufacturing," said Young-Duk Kim. "Having built and led gigafactories, I recognized the opportunity to leverage my experience in bridging the gap between innovation and scalable production. I am excited to help build the foundation for commercial success and collaborate with the team and our partners to drive the company's next phase of growth."

About Coreshell

Coreshell provides the lowest-cost, high-performance silicon anodes on Earth. Coreshell's proprietary technology unlocks the performance of metallurgical silicon, which has ten times the capacity of current battery anodes at significantly lower costs. Headquartered in California, Coreshell partners with the leading global producer of high-purity metallurgical silicon, battery manufacturers, and auto OEMs committed to the clean energy transition.

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Nadia Jamshidi

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SOURCE Coreshell Technologies