Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) announced the inauguration of its Joint Battery Research Center with Seoul National University (SNU). This collaborative effort between the Group and SNU aims to advance battery technologies and foster industry-academia cooperation to establish global leadership in the battery field. Notable attendees included Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group.
The Joint Battery Research Center will drive innovation in battery technology, focusing on performance and safety. It aims to bring together top experts with Hyundai Motor Group’s researchers to develop groundbreaking advancements in batteries.
A new research facility dedicated to battery research is being built at Seoul National University. It will span three floors and include seven laboratories and conference rooms for battery development and analysis. This is the first facility of its kind at the university.
In the field of lithium metal batteries, research will be conducted to improve durability and minimize deterioration. In the field of solid-state batteries, research will focus on developing new materials for the anode, improving coating methods, and creating high-energy-density cathode materials.
The Group has chosen Professor Jang Wook Choi, an expert in battery science, to lead the Joint Battery Research Center. Professor Choi will oversee research projects and technology development.
The Group will invest over KRW 30 billion by 2030 to support the Joint Battery Research Center’s research activities, including the establishment of the center and preparation of experimental equipment.
Hyundai Motor will invest KRW 9.5 trillion over the next 10 years to actively improve battery performance, develop advanced technologies for next-generation batteries, and build infrastructure.
In comparison to 2018 prices, the cost of batteries will be lowered by 75 percent in 2026, and 45 percent in 2030 to enhance the affordability and practicality of EVs. Around 2025, lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are jointly developed with battery companies, will be applied to new EVs for the first time.
The Group plans to create a system for recycling batteries and reusing the raw materials, aiming to protect the environment and ensure a sustainable battery life cycle.