Samsung SDI plans to set up lithium battery research and development center in China by next year.

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said on Tuesday that it had established R & D centers in the United States and Germany to enhance its technological competitiveness through regional cooperation, Yonhap news agency reported.

Samsung SDI officially launched its first US research facility in Boston on Monday, following the opening of an R & D facility in Munich, Germany, on July 1, the company said in a press release.

In addition, Samsung SDI plans to build another R & D center in China by next year.

The company said the aim of setting up overseas research centres was to "ensure a competitive advantage in ultra-gap (super-gap) technology by developing new battery technologies specifically for each region".

Samsung SDI plans to work with universities and start-ups in these regions on lithium-ion battery technology and next-generation battery research, the report said.

Samsung SDI spent 877.6 billion won ($670 million) on research and development in 2021, according to regulatory filings released in March.