Hyundai Motor Joins Forces with SNU to Secure Cutting-edge Battery Tech

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun has initiated efforts to secure groundbreaking technology in the battery sector. Collaborating with prominent scholars and experts in the domestic battery sector, the company aims to bolster research in next-generation batteries with a particular emphasis on solid-state and lithium metal batteries.

On July 25, Hyundai Motor Group unveiled the “Hyundai Motor Group-Seoul National University Battery Joint Research Center” located at Seoul National University’s Gwanak campus. In a span of 1 year and 8 months since the initiation of discussions with Seoul National University in November 2021, the company successfully constructed a three-story (901 ㎡) research facility. This marks the first-ever facility dedicated exclusively to electric vehicle batteries within Seoul National University.

The Battery Joint Research Center operates on a four-division system, focusing on lithium metal batteries, solid-state batteries, battery management systems (BMS), and battery manufacturing technology.

Central to the research center’s objectives is the development of next-generation batteries, particularly lithium metal and solid-state batteries. Out of the total 22 joint research projects, 14 are directly related to lithium metal and solid-state batteries. The research includes topics such as durable lithium-electrolyte material element technology and shape analysis to minimize degradation in lithium metal batteries. For solid-state batteries, research encompasses sulfide-based cathode material, electrode and electrolyte coating methods, and the derivation of high-energy-density anode materials.

A group of 21 professors, researchers, and doctoral students from prominent domestic universities, including Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Chungnam National University, will spearhead these research projects. Hyundai intends to integrate the successful technologies developed in the joint research center into its mass production processes. The company is planning to invest over 30 billion won (US$23.46 million) in the research center over the course of approximately seven years until 2030.