In today’s global battery industry, success hinges on one critical factor: securing a stable and resilient supply chain that can withstand regulatory risks. As regulations in the United States and Europe emerge as major challenges for the industry, POSCO FUTURE M is turning those challenges into opportunities through its differentiated supply chain strategy. Following contracts worth KRW 670 billion to supply natural graphite anode materials to a global automaker, the company further demonstrated its competitiveness by signing a KRW 1 trillion long-term supply agreement for artificial graphite anode materials in March this year. These achievements are the result of years of effort to internalize the full value chain from raw materials and intermediates to finished products. We spoke with Yoo Seung-Jae, Head of the Anode Materials Research Center, about POSCO FUTURE M’s vision for an independent anode materials supply chain and the progress of its technology development.

PART 01

From Natural to Artificial Graphite: POSCO FUTURE M Advances Localization of Anode Materials

POSCO FUTURE M’s greatest strength lies in its differentiated portfolio, which enables the company to mass-produce and supply both natural graphite and artificial graphite anode materials in line with the rapidly evolving needs of the global battery market.

The anode of an EV battery is made by blending natural graphite and artificial graphite, and demand for artificial graphite anode materials has recently increased in response to the market shift toward higher performance and faster charging. Natural graphite anode materials, made from flake graphite mined from natural deposits, offer excellent energy storage capacity and cost competitiveness. Artificial graphite anode materials, produced through high-temperature heat treatment, provide superior structural stability, making them better suited for maximizing fast-charging performance.

By mass-producing both materials, POSCO FUTURE M can respond flexibly to changing market demand. In addition, the company is accelerating the commercialization of silicon anode materials for next-generation all-solid-state batteries and other advanced applications, further strengthening one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios. The company continues to demonstrate its global technological competitiveness, particularly by maximizing productivity through continuous process innovation.

These achievements are the result of long-term efforts to localize production. After successfully localizing natural graphite anode materials in 2011, POSCO FUTURE M completed its artificial graphite anode materials plant in Pohang in 2021, establishing an independent mass-production system. This localization and internalization of raw materials go beyond technological self-reliance and have become a distinct competitive advantage, enabling the company to offer customers one of the most stable supply chains in a global market increasingly exposed to geopolitical risks.

▲ In March, POSCO FUTURE M signed an MOU with Molten to jointly develop raw materials for natural graphite anode materials using methane gas.

POSCO FUTURE M is working with U.S.-based Molten* to develop natural graphite anode materials using raw materials that do not rely on mining. This initiative is meaningful because it moves beyond the conventional dependence on mined graphite and introduces a new approach to securing key raw materials by combining the two companies’ differentiated capabilities in raw materials and materials technology. Through this collaboration, the company expects to diversify its raw material supply chain, reduce costs, and strengthen its differentiated competitiveness in the global market.

* Molten: A California-based company with the world’s only technology capable of producing graphite through methane pyrolysis.

POSCO FUTURE M plans to reinforce its raw materials supply chain by combining Molten’s methane-based graphite production technology with its own anode materials manufacturing technology. Once Molten produces graphite through methane pyrolysis, POSCO FUTURE M’s subsidiary Future Graph will process it into spherical graphite, after which the Sejong plant will produce the final natural graphite anode materials.

Graphite produced from methane gas contains fewer metallic impurities than mined graphite, making it possible to significantly simplify the refining process. This could lead to substantial cost reductions in anode materials production. In addition, hydrogen generated as a byproduct during methane pyrolysis could be used for power generation or supplied to POSCO’s hydrogen reduction ironmaking process, creating synergies across POSCO Group.
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PART 02

Building an Independent “K-Anode Materials” Supply Chain Through POSCO Group Synergies

▲ Last year, POSCO International began developing the Mahenge graphite mine in Tanzania, the world’s second-largest graphite deposit by reserves.

Graphite is a key raw material for battery anode materials, but more than 90% of global supply is concentrated in one country, creating significant supply chain risk. As demand surges with the growth of the EV and ESS (Energy Storage System) markets, securing alternative supply sources has become essential. In response, POSCO Group has built a vertically integrated structure for its battery materials business by linking POSCO International’s raw material sourcing capabilities with POSCO FUTURE M’s materials production. Going forward, the Group plans to directly use graphite secured from Africa in anode materials production, thereby increasing raw material self-sufficiency and easing supply chain instability.

The greatest strength of POSCO Group’s battery materials business lies in its structure, which combines the Group’s raw material sourcing capabilities, cathode and anode materials technologies, and manufacturing process expertise. This enables the Group to provide global battery customers with both supply stability and competitiveness.

▲ POSCO FUTURE M is focusing on internalizing spheroidization and purification technologies for natural graphite anode materials. Source: POSCO FUTURE M

In particular, for natural graphite anode materials, dependence on a specific country is extremely high in the case of spherical graphite, an intermediate material produced by shaping mined graphite into round particles and increasing its purity. To respond to global supply chain regulations such as the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), achieving technological self-reliance at this stage is essential.

To address this, POSCO FUTURE M is building a system in which graphite ore secured by POSCO Group in Africa and other regions is processed into spherical graphite at the Saemangeum plant of its subsidiary Future Graph and then sent to the Sejong plant, where it is turned into final natural graphite anode materials. Based on this localized supply chain, the company plans to supply products stably to global battery makers and automakers.

▲ In April, POSCO FUTURE M and Thai Nguyen Province held a preliminary event for the delivery of the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) for the artificial graphite anode materials project in Vietnam.

Artificial graphite anode materials are essential for enabling fast charging and improving battery life, but dependence on a specific country remains high, making supply chain diversification an urgent priority. Vietnam offers outstanding cost competitiveness compared with other Southeast Asian countries thanks to lower investment costs, electricity rates, labor costs, and logistics expenses. It also has a stable power grid, strong industrial infrastructure, and favorable trade relations with key countries including the United States.

POSCO FUTURE M is investing approximately KRW 357 billion to build an artificial graphite anode materials plant in Thai Nguyen, an industrial city in northern Vietnam. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year, with mass production targeted for 2028. Depending on future orders, the site can be expanded in phases to reach a maximum annual capacity of 55,000 tons.

PART 03

From EVs to Emerging Industries: Next-Generation Silicon Anode Materials Technology

Silicon anode materials offer high capacity, making them well suited to extending EV driving range and shortening charging time. However, because silicon undergoes significant volume expansion during charging and discharging, it has traditionally been used in blends with graphite anode materials.

POSCO FUTURE M has successfully developed silicon anode materials with about five times the capacity of graphite-based anode materials while minimizing expansion through proprietary coating technology. Since May 2024, the company has been operating a demo plant to produce these materials and is currently in discussions with global customers regarding commercialization and the establishment of a mass-production system.

▲ A sample of POSCO Group’s silicon anode materials displayed at INTERBATTERY 2026.

Emerging industries such as humanoid robots, drones, and aerospace require batteries that minimize weight and volume while delivering high energy density and fast charging. Demand for silicon anode materials is expected to grow rapidly not only in robots and drones, where long operating time and fast charging are essential, but also in aerospace, where high output and reliability are critical. POSCO FUTURE M’s silicon anode materials offer greater capacity and better charging performance than conventional graphite-based materials, making them an ideal solution for applications with strict space and weight constraints.

▲ POSCO FUTURE M’s silicon anode materials demo plant in Pohang.

As Korea’s only producer of graphite-based anode materials, POSCO FUTURE M has successfully localized both natural graphite and artificial graphite anode materials and is now expanding its portfolio into next-generation materials such as silicon anode materials.

Based on 15 years of research, the company has developed a range of products applying proprietary technologies. Among them, its low-expansion natural graphite anode material improves material structure through a high-density spheroidization process, enhancing fast-charging performance while lowering the expansion rate and maintaining strong price competitiveness. Its uncoated low-temperature-calcined natural graphite anode material, meanwhile, helps suppress silicon expansion when blended with silicon anode materials, and demand for this product is expected to rise in line with the growth of the silicon anode materials market.

Building on these proprietary products and the competitiveness of its vertically integrated structure spanning raw materials, materials, and products, POSCO FUTURE M will continue to proactively respond to future battery requirements such as fast charging, high output, and high energy density. Through these efforts, the company aims to grow into a global top-tier anode materials solutions provider serving not only EVs but also emerging industries including robotics, drones, and aerospace.

Presents cathode and anode material technologies as solutions to the chasm, enhancing EV driving range, charging speed, and cost-effectiveness

Introduces next-generation materials such as solid electrolytes and lithium metal anodes, along with process technologies including Direct Lithium Extraction

POSCO Future M features its new cathode and anode material technologies and products at InterBattery 2025, held at COEX Seoul from the 5th to the 7th.

POSCO Future M will showcase its cathode and anode material technology roadmap and the group-level supply chain achievements spanning raw materials, materials, and recycling to address the temporary demand stagnation known as the “chasm” by enabling electric vehicles that travel farther, charge faster, and cost less.

First, for electric vehicles that travel farther, the company is introducing Ultra Hi-Ni (Ultra High Nickel) single-crystal cathode materials that maximize energy density by increasing nickel content to over 95%. This material, designed for premium electric vehicles requiring extended driving range, is scheduled for mass production technology development by 2026. Additionally, silicon-carbon anode materials (Si-C), which can increase storage capacity approximately 5 times compared to graphite-based anodes, have been operating in a demonstration plant since May last year, with mass production planned for 2027.

The company is also introducing low-expansion natural graphite anode materials to enable faster charging and enhance convenience for electric vehicle users. This proprietary product, which POSCO Future M has developed and is supplying to global automakers, improves lithium-ion mobility and reduces volume expansion by modifying the material structure from flake-type to isotropic. Through continuous R&D for performance enhancement, the company plans to mass-produce products that can reduce charging time by 30% compared to existing products beginning in 2027.

For more affordable materials to reduce electric vehicle prices and drive popularization, the company is introducing LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) as well as LMR (Lithium Manganese Rich), LMFP (Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate), and high-voltage mid-nickel single-crystal cathode materials. In particular, LMR cathode materials reduce the proportion of nickel and cobalt while increasing manganese to enhance price competitiveness and performance. When recycling is factored in, its price is similar to LFP but with up to 30% higher energy density, and mass production technology is scheduled for development this year. For mid-priced electric vehicles, the company is also showcasing high-voltage mid-nickel (Mid-Ni) single-crystal cathode materials, which maintain high energy density despite reducing nickel content to about 60% by applying high voltage, suitable for standard-class electric vehicles.

At this exhibition, POSCO Future M will also introduce next-generation materials being developed at POSCO Holdings’ POSCO N.EX.T Hub, including solid electrolytes and lithium metal anodes that will be game-changers for the future battery industry. Additionally, the company will share achievements and current status of value chain development, including POSCO Holdings’ Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) method, new nickel wet refining process technologies, and dry recycling technology (POS-Pyrocycle) that reduces waste generation and carbon emissions.

The POSCO Group has been expanding investments in lithium salt lakes in Argentina, lithium mines in Australia, nickel smelting operations in Indonesia, and graphite mines in Africa. Going forward, the group will strengthen business competitiveness by proactively securing premium resources, turning the chasm crisis into an opportunity to enhance competitiveness.

POSCO International will also present strategies for establishing supply chains for drive motor cores, a key component for electric vehicles, and graphite. The company is expanding its eco-friendly vehicle parts business to establish a global annual production system of 7.5 million units and achieve a 10% market share by 2030. To this end, it operates production clusters domestically and internationally, and plans to complete a factory in Brzeg, Poland this year. POSCO International has signed a 25-year long-term natural graphite supply contract with FARU Graphite in Tanzania, a subsidiary of Australian mining company Black Rock Mining, in May 2023 and September 2024. POSCO will introduce steel products for electric vehicles, including battery pack and cylindrical battery-can materials.

Meanwhile, POSCO Future M has prepared an exhibition space of 451 ㎡, 25% larger than last year, under this year’s exhibition theme “Move on, Change the Future.” The exhibition space is designed to help visitors understand the company’s technology and business more enjoyably. The exhibition hall displays samples of cathode and anode materials, lithium, nickel, and products made with the company’s battery materials, including electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and power tools. The exhibition’s immersive experience is enhanced through a large vertical media wall and panoramic display featuring virtual 3D imagery.

POSCO Future M is hosting various events for visitors during the exhibition period. Visitors can experience generating electricity by pedaling a bicycle generator installed at the booth. The electricity generated is converted and accumulated for donation to the POSCO 1% Sharing Foundation. Additionally, through a drawing, prizes including electric bicycles, kickboards, power tool sets, and drones will be given to a total of 12 people, 4 people each day for 3 days.

▲POSCO Future M announces its cathode and anode material technology roadmap and group-level supply chain construction achievements to overcome the electric vehicle chasm at InterBattery 2025. A view of POSCO Future M’s booth at InterBattery 2025 held at COEX Seoul.

▲(From right to left) Minister Ahn Duk-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, POSCO Future M President Eom Gi-chen, and National Assembly Member Kim Jong-min experience an event at POSCO Future M’s InterBattery 2025 booth where visitors generate electricity by pedaling a bicycle generator, with the generated electricity being converted and accumulated for donation.

▲POSCO Future M announces its cathode and anode material technology roadmap and group-level supply chain construction achievements to overcome the electric vehicle chasm at InterBattery 2025. Visitors examine various cathode and anode material products at the POSCO Future M booth.

POSCO Group does its best to develop technologies that contribute to safety and carbon neutrality. We introduce POSCO Group’s excellent new technologies to create a better world! In this episode, we will learn about POSCO Future M’s localized technology for artificial graphite anode materials.

Graphite, which is familiar from pencil lead, is widely used in various industrial applications including refractories in converters that must withstand high temperatures. It is also a core anode material that determines the lifespan and charging performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

POSCO Future M is the only company in Korea that produces both anode and anode materials, which are core materials for secondary batteries. While the company was producing natural graphite anode materials made from natural graphite, it developed the technology to produce artificial graphite anode materials. POSCO Future M’s artificial graphite anode manufacturing technology processes needle coke, a raw material, at a high temperature of over 3,000 ℃ to produce anode material. It was the first Korean company to develop and commercialize artificial graphite anode production technology, which has increased the competitiveness of the domestic secondary battery industry. Why did the company develop technology for localizing artificial graphite, and what has the technology development changed?

POSCO Future M entered the anode material business after realizing that coal tar, a byproduct of the steelmaking process, can be used to produce anode materials. With continuous technology development, it became the only Korean company to produce natural graphite anode materials in 2011.

As orders increased from domestic companies that had imported anode materials from overseas, POSCO Future M increased its natural graphite anode material production capacity and expanded its product portfolio to include artificial graphite anode materials. Although artificial graphite anode materials are favored in the market for their long battery life and high-speed charging, commercialization is difficult because of high raw material costs. Until then, no companies produced them domestically, so only imports were available. When POSCO Future M succeeded in developing artificial graphite anode material first in June 2014, the use of this material increased as the electric vehicle market rapidly grew, and the company decided that it was the right time to produce artificial graphite anode materials and accelerated technological development proactively in response.

Manufacturing cost reduction and real-time quality management by introducing smart factory processes

Artificial graphite requires long and complex processes compared to natural graphite, and it is relatively difficult to control quality during production. POSCO Future M completely internalized all processes and introduced smart factory processes to reduce manufacturing costs and maintain customer trust through real-time quality control.

Let’s take a closer look at the production process of artificial graphite anode materials. The raw material for artificial graphite anode material is needle cokes, made by processing coal tar, a byproduct in the steelmaking process. There is a pulverizing process to adjust the size of needle coke particles, a granulation process of mixing needle coke and pitch during the pulverizing process, and a preliminary carbonization process of carbonizing the raw material before graphitization to increase productivity. Afterward, the raw material is thermally treated at 3000 ℃ or higher to convert it into artificial graphite, and the artificial graphite surface is coated evenly with pitch. Then, after post-processing, such as de-iron, the product is packed, which completes the production of artificial graphite anode materials in Korea.

Graphitization, which heat treats needle coke, the raw material, at a high temperature of 3,000 ℃ or higher is the core process and the most important technology that determines the quality and performance of the anode. It is very important to optimize the process conditions according to the raw material type and amount, and POSCO Future M has proprietary graphitization process technology for this.

The artificial graphite anode materials manufactured by POSCO Future M have the advantages of a longer battery lifespan due to their high structural stability and low impurity content and decreased fast charging time due to quicker lithium ion movement speed because of their isotropic structure.

Operational competitiveness is secured with a self-designed graphitization process

The graphitization process involves mixing raw materials in a crucible, placing them in a graphitization furnace, and heat-treating them at 3,000 ℃ or higher to produce graphite. Generally, when crucibles are put into and discharged from a graphitization furnace, people go directly into the furnace and perform various manual tasks, such as connecting the crane.
POSCO Future M designed the graphitization process automation system considering operator safety. Raw materials are transferred through a pipeline with strong air pressure, and robots put raw materials into crucibles and place them in the graphitization furnace. After being heat-treated at 3,000 ℃ or higher, artificial graphite is transferred through the pipeline to post-processes such as coating.

Value chain synergy effect to increase the resource circulation rate

Needle coke, the raw material for artificial graphite anode materials, is supplied by POSCO Future M’s subsidiary POSCO MC Materials. POSCO MC Materials produces needle coke by drying coal tar, a byproduct of coke manufacturing in the steelmaking process, at a high temperature. The localization of artificial graphite production technology has enabled POSCO to secure the steelmaking byproduct market and POSCO Future M to stably secure the raw material. It helps resource circulation and leads to the synergy effect of POSCO Group’s value chain.

Goal of increasing anode material production capacity

POSCO Future M plans to increase the annual anode material production capacity from 82,000 tons currently to 370,000 tons by 2030. Its goal is to maintain its No. 1 position in the global market outside China by having an annual production capacity of 182,000 tons of natural graphite anode materials, 153,000 tons of artificial graphite anode materials, and 35,000 tons of silicon anode materials by 2030.

First export of artificial graphite anode materials after localization

In December 2022, POSCO Future M signed a contract with Ultium Cells, a battery joint venture between U.S. GM and LG Energy Solutions, to supply artificial graphite anode materials worth approximately KRW 939.9 billion. The supply period is 6 years from 2023 to 2028. It is the first export of artificial graphite anode materials following localization. PSOCO Future M plans to secure its leadership in the artificial graphite anode material market by preemptively responding to increasing global demand, including expanding the supply chain in the battery industry following the enactment of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

POSCO Future M is ready to fly higher with the localization of key battery materials!
Please follow us as we continue to pioneer the artificial graphite anode material market!

– Finding the Hidden POSCO! –

Let’s begin!

① GIGA STEEL — Stronger, Lighter and Better for the Environment

POSCO developed GIGA STEEL, stronger and lighter than competing materials like aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). Withstanding over 100 kg on 1mm2 space, GIGA STEEL builds stronger car bodies, suspension and battery packs making electric vehicles (EVs) safer for the public. Three times stronger and yet 3 times thinner than aluminum, it vastly lightweights car bodies.

With such strength, the GIGA STEEL effectively absorbs and disperses shocks in the event of an accident. It minimizes the shock impact thereby protecting the passengers as well as the batteries. Lighter but sturdier cars were made possible through POSCO’s GIGA STEEL.

GIGA STEEL is also eco-friendly as it helps protect the environment by reducing the cumulative CO2 emissions of cars by about 10%.

② Steel in the Tires! POSCO’s WTP Tire Cord Steel

Though invisible, steel is what makes car tires more durable. POSCO’s WTP (World Top Premium) tire cord steel is hidden in tire chords one of the many essential tire components. POSCO’s WTP refers to a line of products that enhance clients’ competitiveness with its high technology. POSCO’s WTP steel wire for tire cords are highly regarded – it improves stability and while minimizing the tire weight.

And it’s produced by twisting high carbon steel wire rod into a fine wire of 0.4 to 1.15mm in diameter. To withstand various dynamic loads on the vehicle, the tire cord steel undergoes rigorous quality control.

③ For Drive Motors, the World-class Electric Steel Hyper No

A motor is a key component of EVs. It boosts fuel efficiency and the performance of EVs. The function of drive motors in EV is that of an engine in gas vehicles – it allows the driveshaft to rotate via electric current. Highly efficient drive motors must be equipped with electrical steel plates with minimal power loss. POSCO has developed just that – the world-class electric steel plate, Hyper NO. Hyper No is used on high-efficiency motors.

When converting electricity into rotating energy, energy loss is inevitable. POSCO’s Hyper NO effectively minimizes the energy loss, thereby increasing energy efficiency – by over 30% than conventional products. To maximize motor efficiency, POSCO increased the magnetic flux density and successfully minimized energy loss. Thanks to POSCO’s Hyer No, an ultra-thin electric panel, as thin as 0.15mm, with minimum energy loss became a reality.

The ‘self-bonding’ technology POSCO developed recently applies coatings to the surface of electric steel plates, whose function is similar to that of glue. Unlike welding, POSO’s self-bonding technology retains the innate electromagnet characteristics of electric steel plates, which also connects to the improved motor efficiency. The self-bonding reduces energy loss by over 10 % compared to the conventional welding technique.

④ Secondary Battery Materials – from POSCO CHEMICAL!

Unlike disposable primary batteries, secondary batteries can be recharged and reused repeatedly. Lithium-ion battery, an essential component of EVs, is a type of second batteries. Besides EVs, it is a popular choice for many consumer electronics such as portable devices and laptops. It’s also widely used for industrial robots and power tools that require high capacity and power.

A secondary battery consists of cathode materials that determine the average voltage and capacity of a battery, and anode materials which induce current flow by storing then releasing lithium-iron from the cathode, via external circuits.

POSCO CHEMICAL, POSCO Group’s up-and-coming-global enterprise, produces key materials for secondary batteries – cathode and anode materials. The newly established POSCO CHEMICAL is the result of the merger back in April – between POSCO ESM, top-quality cathode producing enterprise, and POSCO CHEMTECH, Korea’s only natural graphite anode producer. As a result of their merge, POSCO CHEMTECH is expected to bring synergies between anode and cathode production. Large-scale early investments in production facilities are currently underway.

⑤ Battery Charge Stations? POSCO ICT Is on It

The biggest concern for the early adopters of EVs is the business of charging the EVs. Making the charge as easy as possible is the key part of the solution.

That’s where POSCO ICT comes in. POSCO ICT established ‘ChargEV,’ a charging infrastructure for EVs. ChargEV provides comprehensive services related to charging EVs, which includes charge stations, control systems, charging membership as well as car-sharing services. Considering accessibility and charging time, POSCO ICT has already established public charging networks at major hubs across Korea – Lotte Mart, E-Mart, Homeplus, and LG Electronics’ BEST SHOP, etc.

⑥ Safe Power Supply, With POSCO ENERGY

Providing power for EVs is also POSCO Group’s utmost priority. Since launching the energy business in 1969, POSCO ENERGY has steadily supplied power to the Seoul Metropolitan area for over 50 years. Through expanded businesses such as the LNG combined-cycle power plant in Incheon, the company went from being Korea’s first private power plant to Korea’s largest.

As it turns out, the world’s top steelmaker POSCO was also a key player in producing core EV materials. The next installation of [Find the Hidden POSCO] will explore POSCO technologies that can be found inside our homes.

Hyperloop floating through the Megacity has become the hallmark of future transportation. (Source: Big Think Edge)

The premise scene of the current Sci-Fi hit series, “Westworld” reveals guests being whisked to the entrance of Westworld, the show’s elaborate theme park. This is carried out in a super-fast magnetic levitation pod, whooshed forward in a blur at the speed of sound. This is in fact, the synthetic cameo of Elon Musk’s actual innovation, the Hyperloop.

Although this backdrop is 2052, evidently far-fetched to the eye, the advent of Hyperloop as we know it is even more materialized in reality than viewers may imagine. This mode of transport is a peek at the bird’s eye view of what’s to come.

The electric vehicle is a major mode of futuristic transportation we are already familiar with. The commercialization of flying cars and drone taxis as well are in the cards. And what is the role of steel in their manifestations?

The Era of Electric SUV with Lightweight Steel

The I.D. Crozz by Volkswagen is an electric-powered cross-over between a coupé and SUV (Source: Volkswagen Newsroom)

The transport of tomorrow we are most accustomed to is the electric car. Some of the major auto industry players such as BMW Group, Volkswagen Group, and Ford Group have formed a Pan-European EV charging network, Ionity to ensure enough charging stations to meet the growing EV units.

Frontrunner Tesla’s most recent electric SUV invention, the Tesla Model X has motivated global competitors to spring up a range of electric SUVs. With the release of Jaguar I-Pace in March and the Hyundai Kona Electric in May along with the anticipated launch of Audi’s E-tron Quattro and Sportback, worldwide carmakers and consumers alike are aware that a new generation of electric SUV and its crossover versions are already in full swing.

Previously, the electric motor was commonly applicable only in compact or subcompact cars due to its limited battery capacity. They weren’t capable of reaching over a certain distance even once fully charged. As follows, lightweighting is inevitable to secure more miles on the road.

The development of battery performance and vehicle lightweighting technologies have enabled the creation of the electric SUV. Primary components of EV are the electric motors and batteries, especially the lithium-ion batteries that power the vehicle using POSCO’s cathode and anode.

An anode is a positively charged electrode in which the current flows into the system. Since last year, POSCO ES MATERIALS has been manufacturing highly-stable anode material, the PG-NCM which is world’s finest in quality. The cathode generates electricity by storing and releasing the lithium contained in the anode. At present, POSCO CHEMTECH is the sole manufacturer of anode materials in the domestic market.

The second solution to car lightweighting for more mileage would be POSCO’s Giga Steel. Giga Steel is a high-intensity steel capable of enduring the weight of 1,500 subcompact cars with a size that is merely 4 inches in width and 6 inches in length. Its intensity is thrice that of an automotive aluminum enabling even thin steel sheets to perform as robust car structure. Accordingly, it is unmatched in resolving both lightweight and stability issues for its lightness and high endurance. Experts predict the increase in demand for ultra-high tensile steel with gigapascal capacity of endurance suitable for advanced safety measures.

Whizzing from New York to Washington DC in 30 Minutes

Hyperloop travels at a supersonic speed of 760 miles per hour faster than that of a commercial airplane. (Source: Inverse)

A quick weekday evening spent with a family member in a US home state after work may just happen. A San Francisco resident can enjoy dinner after work with a friend from college in downtown LA in just 30 minutes. The same amount of time would take for a Dutch in Amsterdam to travel to Paris for a quick photo of the Eiffel Tower. The mode of transportation? None other than the Hyperloop.

It is one of the most innovative technologies in the next generation of transport initially mentioned in 2012 and explicitly open-sourced the following year by the CEO of Tesla Motors and Space X, Elon Musk. A pressurized pod would float through the vacuum tunnel while magnetic levitation enables it to hover above the rail to reduce friction.

Theory suggests the speed of Hyperloop is around 760 mph, considerably faster than that of a regular passenger flight which is 547 to 575 mph. It can transport passengers to neighboring states in the US or to neighboring countries in about half an hour. There is almost zero emission while solving congestion problems in a sustainable and cost-efficient way.

Since its conception, high-tech companies have been chasing after the hyperloop reality around the world. This includes Elon Musk’s Boring Company, business magnate, Richard Branson’s Virgin Hyperloop One, and LA-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), an American research company.

HTT has been constructing one of two test tracks in France, ready to convey the first passenger capsule later this year. It had already signed a 150 km Hyperloop system between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, partly expected to be operational in 2020. This agreement is the foundation to eventually run Hyperloop in between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Richard Branson announced earlier this year that he had signed an agreement with India’s Maharashtra State government to build Virgin Hyperloop One connecting the distance reaching up to 150 kilometers between two cities, Mumbai and Pune. We may eventually reap the benefits of the Hyperloop bringing the world closer together.

Most Hyperloop companies are developing tubes or tunnels out of steel from which most of the air has been removed. POSCO is also researching the application of steel designed for the Hyperloop while at its refurbished “Steel Gallery” exhibit at POSCO Center, visitors can experience Hyperloop through an interactive wall to learn about the anticipated performances of steel in the near future.

Beating Ground Traffic on a Drone Taxi

CityAirbus’s Drone Taxi underway (Source: Helicopter Newswire)

The opening scene of “Blade Runner 2049” released in October last year features a flying car whirring across the sky. The Passenger, Blade Runner “K” played by Ryan Gosling wakes up from what is a self-driving vehicle, flying him across his journeys. This premise of flying cars is always that one thing common in Sci-Fi movies, even the older version of Blade Runner which hit theaters back in 1982.

Considering its advantages versus overpopulation and hours idling in traffic, this may come away from the silver screen and into our real lives. No less than 19 companies have pursued the competition in commercializing flying cars.

Last May, Uber has teamed up with NASA, announcing its plans to service aerial taxi services by 2023 in LA, Dallas, and Dubai. Uber has signed an agreement with NASA to plan a new air traffic control software for what could be the beginning of establishing a new aerial smart system enabling advanced and efficient infrastructure from up above. Its’ servicing demonstration video reveals the passenger booking her flight through Uber app. Uber has already invested €20 million in flying taxi service in Paris, France. Its high-profile competitor, the Kitty Hawk project backed by Google founder, Larry Page has released its own version of the flying vehicle commercially available for sale.

Other countries such as Dubai and Japan have adopted their own versions of drone taxi services and is expediting its completion and starting launch by 2020. The Japanese government has partnered up with companies such as Boeing, Airbus, and Japanese Airlines and hopes to launch its prototype to be used to light the Olympic flame during the Games hosted by Tokyo in 2020.

Cars with wings especially require utmost safety and lightweighting even more so than most ground-based cars. POSCO’s ultra-high intensity steel sheet produced with advanced Giga Steel will be unequaled in offering such breakthrough technology.

These examined future transportations require steel as its fundamental material. Steel in itself faces constant evolution, not unlike the advancement of transportation as it is unique for both its strength and lightweight. Keeping its endless possibilities in mind, steel’s significance will be proven further in the newer forms of transportation to come.

EVs will make up 54 percent of new car sales in 2040. (Source: Electrek)

Even though EVs make up about 1 percent of total new car sales in the U.S., EVs are on a steady, steep path upwards. According to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, EVs will make up 54 percent of new car sales by 2040, and by 2029, EVs will be cheaper to buy than gasoline and diesel-fueled cars.

The figures are significant and will translate into a sharp increase in demand for rechargeable batteries and their materials.

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: Electric Vehicles and the Future of the Automotive Market

The Evolution of EV Batteries

Before diving into the juicy details, it’s always helpful to cover the basics. Batteries are made up of 3 main components. The anode, or negative electrodes, the cathode, or positive electrodes and some type of electrolyte through which the electrodes travel to release chemical energy.

A simple battery can be made out of a potato, copper penny and galvanized nail. (Source: Tested)

The first rechargeable battery, lead-acid battery, was invented in 1859 by a physicist named Gaston Plante. Lead dioxide was the cathode material used, and lead was the anode material with a liquid solution of sulphuric acid and water as the electrolyte. The materials were affordable and the battery was applied to many early models of EVs, including early models of the Tesla Model S.

Another widely used battery that came after the lead-acid battery is the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery developed at the Battelle-Geneva Research Center in 1967. Nickel hydroxide was used as the cathode material while a hydrogen-absorbing alloy was used as the anode material. A liquid solution served as electrolytes. The research for NiMH batteries was extensive, and funded jointly by Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen AG. The batteries were also applied to many EV models such as the Toyota Prius, prior to 2015.

The Advent of Lithium-Ion Batteries

The introduction of lithium-ion batteries was a game-changer. Sony first introduced them in 1991, and today, most EVs have them, including the Tesla Model 3. The batteries consist of lithium-cobalt oxide cathodes, graphite anodes and the electrolyte is usually a solution of lithium salt and an organic solvent, though some automakers are experimenting with solid-state electrolytes.

The Tesla Model 3 has a lithium-ion battery. (Source: Green Car Reports)

Compared to its predecessors, lithium-ion batteries have the highest amount of stored energy and specific power, which is kind of like horsepower for electric cars. As a result of improved technology and lower costs, lithium-ion batteries are projected to make up 70 percent of the total rechargeable battery market by 2025, which will be worth roughly USD 112 billion.

Good as Gold

It is estimated that every 1 percent increase of EVs in the auto market will result in an additional 70,000 tons of lithium demand LCE per year.

In 2016, Australia topped the list for the most lithium produced with 14,300 metric tons. China and Zimbabwe are also top contenders producing 2000 and 900 metric tons in 2016, respectively. Then, there are the South American countries of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, also referred to as the “lithium triangle,” and home to 75 percent of the world’s lithium supply.

Workers at a brine pool at the Rockwood Lithium Plant on the Atacama salt flat. (Source: Reuters)

Does that mean the world has enough lithium to fuel the cars of tomorrow? The answer is yes, but there aren’t enough mines to produce them. In order to prevent environmental damage and the exploitation of unprotected workers, lithium producers have to get smart about lithium mining and production.

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POSCO’s Lithium Production  

Starting in 2010, POSCO and the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST) teamed up to develop a chemically based lithium extraction technology. The innovation cut down extraction time from up to 18 months down to between 8 hours and 1 month, delivering a purity rate of 99.9 percent. The recovery rate of lithium also increased to over 80 percent. POSCO is the world’s first corporation to commercialize the technology.

SEE ALSO: Lithium Rocks: POSCO at Forefront of a Green Energy Future

POSCO CEO Kwon Ohjoon holds lithium on his visit to PosLX, POSCO’s battery production factory in Korea.

It’s also at the heart of the lithium triangle. POSCO currently operates facilities in Chile’s Maricunga Salt Lake, Argentina’s Cauchari Salt Lake and Argentina’s Pozuelos Salt Lake, which alone will boost POSCO’s annual lithium production to 2,500 tons. POSCO also opened its first battery production plant in Korea earlier this year.  

The future of EVs is promising thanks to advancements being made in electric batteries, and there’s a lot at stake for the health and well being of future generations. Increasingly, the availability and costs of EV battery materials will play a vital role in market outcomes and widespread EV adoption. It is vital for companies like POSCO to provide abundant, sustainable and cost-friendly EV battery materials so automakers can continue to enhance the batteries of tomorrow’s cars.

Cover photo courtesy of Quartz.