Hwaseong:<Text>
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. have joined forces with South Korea's prominent battery manufacturers, LG Energy Solution Ltd., Samsung SDI Co., and SK On Co., to improve electric vehicle (EV) safety technologies. The companies announced this partnership at Hyundai and Kia's Namyang research and development (R&D) center located in Hwaseong, south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the collaboration between Hyundai, Kia, and the battery producers has been ongoing for a year, focusing on enhancing EV battery safety. The results of this partnership were unveiled during a ceremony where a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed to further expand their cooperation. The event was attended by Hyundai-Kia R&D chief Yang Hee-won, LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung, Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-seon, and SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee, along with officials from the transport and industry ministries.
The initiative was launched last A ugust following a public EV battery safety concern triggered by a significant fire incident. The MOU signed on Friday commits the companies to continue joint research, share patent rights, and develop new safety technologies, aiming to establish industry-wide safety benchmarks.
The collaboration has pinpointed five priority areas, including safety-related patents, digital battery passports, design quality, manufacturing quality, and firefighting technology. Hyundai-Kia R&D chief Yang Hee-won emphasized the importance of leadership determination, researcher dedication, and government support in making this collaboration possible, committing to deliver safer and more reliable EVs.
LG Energy Solution's Kim Dong-myung expressed the company's commitment to securing Korea's future competitiveness through government and industry collaboration. Samsung SDI's Choi Joo-seon highlighted the initiative as a breakthrough redefining industry safety standards and technological di rection, while SK On's Lee Seok-hee noted the enhancement in battery safety quality resulting from this partnership.