Hyundai, Kia partner with S. Korean battery makers to boost EV safety

Seoul, Aug 22 Hyundai Motor and Kia have partnered with South Korea's leading battery producers -- LG Energy Solution Ltd., Samsung SDI Co. and SK On Co. -- to advance electric vehicle (EV) safety technologies, the companies said on Friday.

At Hyundai and Kia's Namyang research and development (R&D) centre in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, the companies unveiled the results of a yearlong collaboration with the battery makers on EV battery safety and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand their cooperation going forward, reports Yonhap news agency.

The ceremony was attended by Hyundai-Kia R&D chief Yang Hee-won, LG Energy Solution chief executive officer (CEO) Kim Dong-myung, Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-seon and SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee, as well as officials from the transport and industry ministries.

The joint efforts began last August when Hyundai-Kia proposed setting up a task force on battery safety in the wake of a then public EV battery safety scare prompted by a massive fire incident.

Friday's MOU calls for the companies to continue joint research, share patent rights and develop new safety technologies, with the aim of setting industrywide safety benchmarks.

The companies have identified five priority projects covering safety-related patents, digital battery passports, design quality, manufacturing quality and firefighting technology.

"This collaboration was possible thanks to the determination of our leadership, the dedication of our researchers and support from government ministries," said Yang. "We will continue to work closely with battery makers to deliver safer and more reliable EVs."

LG Energy Solution's Kim said, "With the government and industry working as one team, LG Energy Solution will keep pushing to secure Korea's future competitiveness."

Choi of Samsung SDI called the initiative "a breakthrough that redefines industry safety standards and technological direction," pledging further work on sustainable battery technologies.

"This collaboration will take battery safety quality to the next level," SK On's Lee added.

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