The first electric vehicle to fully utilize both anode and cathode materials from POSCO Future M, maximizing driving range and fast-charging capabilities.

Incorporating POSCO’s Giga Steel, ultra-high-strength, and electrical steel ensures top safety ratings and superior driving performance.

To mark the domestic launch of the Cadillac luxury electric vehicle ‘Lyriq,’ which extensively utilizes POSCO Group’s secondary battery materials and steel products, POSCO Group and GM hosted a joint promotional event.

On the 26th, both companies displayed the ‘Lyriq’ at the POSCO Center in Gangnam, Seoul, offering test drives and purchase consultations to POSCO Group employees and nearby professionals.

The event was attended by Yoo Byeong-og, President of POSCO Future M; Seo Yu-ran, Head of POSCO’s Automotive Materials Marketing Division; Hector Villarreal, President of GM Korea; and Tommy Hosea, Vice President of GM’s Global Operations Purchasing and Supply Chain. It commemorated the launch of this electric vehicle, a product of the collaboration between POSCO Group and GM.

The Lyriq, the first model based on GM’s next-generation modular electric vehicle platform ‘Ultium,’ is also the first electric vehicle to fully integrate both anode and cathode materials from POSCO Future M. It features a battery pack comprising 12 modules, each containing battery cells made from POSCO Future M’s anode and cathode materials.

The Lyriq’s battery uses high-nickel NCMA* cathode materials, known for high energy density, enabling a driving range of up to 465 km on a full charge. POSCO Future M successfully mass-produced NCMA single-crystal cathode materials domestically for the first time in March last year. The anode material employs low-expansion natural graphite anodes, which improve high-speed charging performance, stability, and lifespan compared to conventional products. The Lyriq supports DC fast charging with up to 190 kW output, allowing approximately 120 km of range with a 10-minute charge.

*High-nickel NCMA cathode: A cathode material comprising nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum, with an increased nickel ratio to enhance battery energy density, thermal stability, and output.

*Low-expansion natural graphite anode: An anode material that shifts from a plate-like to an isotropic structure, accelerating lithium-ion movement and reducing expansion, thereby improving charging speed, stability, and lifespan.

The Lyriq also incorporates POSCO’s ultra-high-strength steel and electrical steel products. Its body and chassis use Giga Steel (tensile strength over 980 MPa) and ultra-high-strength steel, earning the highest safety rating of 5 stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the U.S., enhancing strength, workability, and environmental friendliness.

The drive motor features high-efficiency, non-oriented electrical steel* ‘Hyper NO,’ reducing energy loss and delivering top-tier driving performance among its peers. POSCO is the sole domestic producer of high-efficiency, non-oriented electrical steel, a material requiring advanced technology, with only a few global steelmakers, including POSCO, capable of providing stable quality.

*Non-oriented electrical steel: Used in motors to enable rotational motion via electrical current. Thinner materials minimize energy loss during motor operation. The Lyriq’s main motor employs 0.25mm thick Hyper NO, achieving 500 horsepower and 62.2 kgm of torque.

The Lyriq, optimized for performance and efficiency with POSCO Group’s top-tier battery materials and steel products, showcases a harmonious blend of stable, agile driving performance, a new design language, and next-generation technology under the Cadillac brand, standing out in the global market. In the first quarter of this year, the Lyriq ranked first in sales among single models in the U.S. luxury electric vehicle market.

Yoo Byeong-og, President of POSCO Future M, expressed, “We hope that the Lyriq, a product of the collaboration between POSCO Group and GM, will continue its success in Korea following its achievements in the U.S. POSCO Future M will continue to develop and reliably supply high-performance battery materials, leveraging our advanced technology, to support GM in leading the electric vehicle market.”

Additionally, POSCO Future M and GM continue strengthening their cooperation to establish a stable battery material supply chain in North America. In May 2022, they established ‘Ultium CAM,’ the first joint venture between a battery material company and an automaker. They plan to complete a 30,000-ton capacity cathode material production plant in Quebec, Canada, in the second half of this year. To strategically respond to regional supply chain enhancement policies such as the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), they also plan to expand a cathode material plant and establish a precursor plant, a critical intermediate material for cathodes, in North America by 2026.

▲In celebration of the domestic launch of the Cadillac luxury electric vehicle ‘Lyriq,’ extensively incorporating POSCO Group’s secondary battery materials and steel products, POSCO Group and GM held a joint promotion at the POSCO Center in Seoul. Pictured are Yoo Byeong-og, President of POSCO Future M (right), and Hector Villarreal, President of GM Korea, sitting inside the Cadillac luxury electric vehicle Lyriq.

▲POSCO Group and GM organized a joint promotion at the POSCO Center in Seoul to commemorate the domestic launch of the Cadillac luxury electric vehicle ‘Lyriq,’ featuring extensive use of POSCO Group’s secondary battery materials and steel products. From left: Yoo Byeong-og, President of POSCO Future M (left), Tommy Hosea, Vice President of GM’s Global Operations Purchasing and Supply Chain, and Hector Villarreal, President of GM Korea (right), celebrating the launch of Lyriq.

▲On the 26th, POSCO Group and GM showcased the Lyriq at the POSCO Center in Gangnam, Seoul, and held a joint promotional event in honor of the domestic launch of the Cadillac luxury electric vehicle ‘Lyriq,’ extensively featuring POSCO Group’s secondary battery materials and steel products. From left: Seo Yu-ran, Head of POSCO’s Automotive Materials Marketing Division; Hector Villarreal, President of GM Korea; Yoo Byeong-og, President of POSCO Future M; and Tommy Hosea, Vice President of GM’s Global Operations Purchasing and Supply Chain.

POSCO’s ‘e Autopos’ Unboxing Round 2! After looking at the e Autopos solution applied to the body and chassis of an eco-friendly car last time, we will take a closer look at the traction motor this time. The traction motor of an eco-friendly car plays the same role as the internal combustion engine and the heart when it comes to people.   That means e Autopos is an important component that actually makes cars move. So what kind of e Autopos solutions were used for the traction motors? Let’s find out together now!

l e Autopos’ traction motor based solution, ‘Hyper NO’ improves electricity efficiency(efficiency of EV)

Again, let’s have a look at the explanation table on the box before unboxing. Oh~ The e Autopos solution applied to the eco-friendly car traction motor is ‘Hyper NO!’. Let’s open the box and learn step by step what kind of material is Hyper NO, which makes the heart of eco-friendly cars beat, and what technology POSCO has added to it.

Here is a cylinder-shaped traction motor. As mentioned earlier, the traction motor is a component corresponding to the internal combustion engine. If the internal combustion engine uses fossil fuels as an energy source, the power to move the traction motor of an eco-friendly car is ‘electricity’. If we use less electricity and turn motors more, the energy efficiency will increase and will be helpful for the environment. Therefore, POSCO has developed special materials for the Stator Core and Rotor Core of the traction motor.

Hyper NO, the main part we saw on the explanation table on the box. Hyper NO is Non-Oriented electrical steel made by POSCO that helps improve the efficiency of traction motor due to low power loss. Non-Oriented steel is a steel with uniform power loss in all directions, and suitable for rotating device material such as motors where the Rotor Core rotates. Non-Oriented steel has grades, which is defined as Hyper NO when the Core Loss is 3.5W/kg(1.5T/50Hz) or less depending on the amount of Core Loss, and the motor efficiency increases when the traction motor is made with Hyper NO.

Hyper NO of POSCO was developed to minimize the energy loss that occurred inevitably in the process of converting electrical energy to rotational energy and also to increase efficiency, resulting in more than 30% lower energy loss compared to existing electrical steel. The thinner the electrical steel is, the less Core Loss is and POSCO is capable of producing Hyper NO thickness up to 0.15mm, allowing it to reduce Core Loss.

l Self-bonding, the traction motor technology solution of e Autopos

The core of the traction motor is made by overlapping the electrical steel in several layers. As explained earlier, the thinner the electrical steel, the more efficient the motor is, but to rotate the thin steel plate quickly, the plates must be stacked and combined into a single mass that can be rotated. Previously, electric steel was attached with welding, but welding had a problem that degraded the electromagnetic characteristics of electrical steel.

Accordingly, POSCO developed ‘self-bonding’ technology. Self-bonding is the application of an adhesive-like coating to the surface of electrical steel which enables it to bond closely without degrading the electromagnetic characteristics of electrical steel and even reducing not only core loss but also the noise generated by the gap between plates.

POSCO is expanding its sales through strengthening its network by providing electrical steel and use-solutions directly to global automakers and components companies.

Meanwhile, POSCO SPS is increasing the added value by producing traction motor core with electrical steel and POSCO International is also helping to expand its market at home and abroad.

That’s it for today’s unboxing! The traction motor applied with POSCO’s e Autopos is both economical and eco-friendly due to its low power loss and high energy efficiency. If you are looking for an eco-friendly car with great electricity efficiency, just as you are looking for a ‘fuel efficiency’ when choosing an internal combustion locomotive, you need to make sure if e Autopos solution is applied to the traction motor! In the next unboxing, let’s explore the e Autopos solution used in battery pack steel and battery materials!

Ding~Dong! A parcel was left at the doorstep. It was a large box with an electric car drawn at the front, and it came with a card. Two words — POSCO and eAutopus — were written on the box, and the card read “e Autopos Unboxing”. Join us for the unboxing of POSCO’s integrated brand of sustainable automotive product & solution, “e Autopos”.

l Mission: Observing the Box

Before opening the box, let’s take a closer look from the outside. “e Autopos” written on the picture of an Electric Vehicle (EV) is POSCO’s integrated brand of eco-friendly automotive product solutions. The brand refers to POSCO’s steel and secondary battery material products used in EVs and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), and customized solution packages that can be applied to these products. e Autopos is a combination of the words eco-friendly and electrified AUTOmotive solution of POSco.

l Now for the Real Unboxing! eAutopus Car Body

The inside of the box reveals a car body that looks quite solid.

The car body consisting of eAutopos products is light and strong. To protect the environment, cars must be lighter because a heavier car needs more energy and emits more greenhouse gas. EVs are about 200kg heavier than conventional fuel engine vehicles because of the battery pack weight, so reducing weight is an essential task for EVs. However, making a car lighter isn’t as easy as it sounds. Developing a lightweight and strong body is important for the safety of the users because the vehicle body absorbs and distributes shocks in the event of an accident and also prevents battery damage.

Accordingly, POSCO developed PBC-EV (Posco Body Concept for Electric Vehicle), POSCO’s solution for EVs where Giga Steel is applied. Applying more than 45% of Giga Steel, PBC-EV achieved a weight reduction of about 30% compared to conventional fuel engine vehicles of the same size. Giga Steel is more than three times stronger than aluminum, which has recently been applied to automotive bodies and can withstand a weight of more than 100kg per 1mm².

The e Autopos automotive body solution includes many of POSCO’s advanced steel grades because the passenger and battery spaces should be designed to prevent deformation in case of an accident or a collision. Also, the traction motor space in the front, the trunk space in the rear, and the side space should be designed to absorb the collision force.

980XF is applied for the Front Side Member that absorbs shock at the front of the vehicle due to its excellent tensile strength^* and elongation^**. For the Side Sill Inner Reinf, which absorbs shock at the relatively narrower side area, 1180 TRIP product is applied because of its outstanding strength and elongation.

In the event of a collision, the shock is first absorbed in the front, rear, and sides. The remaining energy is then transferred to the passenger and the battery space inside the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to apply a steel product that prevents this. The strength of the steel applied here should be higher than that of the ones used in the areas that receive the shock directly.

The remaining energy after the initial absorption in the Front Side Member is transferred to the Extension Member Front Side Outer Rear, and here comes another important task: this part must sustain the impact without any deformation. Accordingly, since the shape is relatively complicated, a 1.5 GPa-class 1500HPF product was applied to secure formability and collision resistance at the same time. 1500HPF is formed by heating steel plates at a high temperature of 900°C and then cooled down and shaped in a mold.

The Dash Cross Member Outer and Seat Cross Member, which serves to protect passengers by suppressing automotive deformation in the event of a collision, employs 1500MART. 1500MART is a high tensile strength product of 1500MPa and maximizes the prevention of automotive body deformation.

l Eco-friendly Car Chassis Made Complete with eAutopus

▲ The Chassis of an EV

Now let’s take a closer look at the “chassis” which is in charge of driving functions! Connected to the bottom of the car body, the role of the chassis is to enable driving and absorb shock. The chassis is composed of Suspension and Hub Bearing, the essential machine parts required to run a vehicle, and Suspension Spring and Shock Absorber to absorb the shock from the road.

The Giga Steel introduced in the e Autopos automotive body solution is also applied to the suspension. POSCO developed a lighter, longer-lasting suspension with Giga Steel. POSCO Bearing Steel is used for hub bearings that are mounted on automotive wheels to help the wheels rotate. Since POSCO Bearing Steel is used for wheels that are directly connected to passenger safety, its quality is strictly managed and it features high resistance to abrasion, cracking, and deformation.

Tires with e Autopos solution are strong to puncture. This is possible because of POSCO Tire Cord Steel! The Tire Cord Steel supports the weight of the vehicle, maintains the shape of the tire, and extends the life of the tire. POSCO’s Tire Cord Steel is made of high-strength carbon, has excellent machinability and high strength, so it is lightweight and features excellent driving stability.

POSCO’s Spring Steel is applied to the Suspension Spring, which is responsible to secure comfortable rides by minimizing the shock or vibration transmitted from the road. As for the Shock Absorber, POSCO’s Carbon Steel for Machine Structure is adopted. POSCO Spring Steel is stronger than conventional spring steel by more than 200 MPa, yet 15% lighter since the number of coils wound around is minimized, making it suitable for weight reduction. As such, e Autopos solution is applied to all parts of the eco-friendly automotive chassis!

Automobiles are considered one of the best inventions of mankind. And recently, as environmental regulations have been strengthened worldwide, a sustainability-focused wave is trending in the automotive industry as well.

As actions to ban combustion engine vehicles have been accelerated from Europe to other countries, such as China and Japan, experts forecast that the annual production of eco-friendly vehicles worldwide, such as electric vehicles (EV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), will increase from 6 million in 2020 to 39 million units in 2030.

In preparation for the advancing era of sustainable mobility, the sensible alternative for automakers is to develop EV or FCEV. Then what is POSCO doing in line with the paradigm shift in the automotive market? Of course, it has its own share of plans — responding with the integrated brand for sustainable mobility, “e Autopos”!

l POSCO Has It All Figured Out

sustainable mobility isn’t just a concern for the automotive industry. The steel industry also needs to develop materials appropriate for application in eco-friendly vehicles that are powered by secondary batteries or hydrogen fuel cells rather than engines.

Since POSCO is the top global automotive material manufacturer supplying automotive steel plates to top automakers in Asia, America, and Europe for over 50 years, what does it have to do with eco-friendly automotive materials?

POSCO already developed and currently supplies various solutions, including the ultra high-strength “Giga Steel” for EV body, chassis, and battery pack, high-efficient “Hyper NO Electric Steel” for EV traction motor, which is a key component of EV, and “Poss470FC Stainless Steel” for the bipolar plate for FCEV that requires to be highly conductive, corrosion-resistant, and durable.

Also, together with POSCO Chemical, POSCO is the only Korean company supplying materials for secondary batteries, the heart of electric vehicles, from raw materials, such as lithium, nickel, and graphite, to cathode and anode materials.

Supplying automotive materials is only possible if knowledge of automobiles is sufficient. POSCO has accumulated technology and know-how for more than 50 years and has established a strong global partnership, thus making it the front player in the era of sustainable mobility. And “e Autopos” will be a brand proving its capabilities.

l “e Autopus,” POSCO’s Own sustainable Mobility Brand

On January 27, POSCO launched “e Autopus,” an integrated brand of eco-friendly automotive products and solutions to lead the eco-friendly automotive market.

“e Autopos” is a combination of the words eco-friendly and electrified AUTOmotive Solution of POSco, and it intends to pioneer the eco-friendly automotive market through innovation that comprises eco-friendliness, collaboration synergy, and future orientation.

As mentioned earlier, major solutions include high-strength steel for EV body and chassis, battery pack steel, energy-efficient steel for traction motors, bipolar plate for FCEV, cathode and anode materials for secondary batteries. Together with POSCO Chemical, POSCO International, and POSCO SPS, POSCO plans to provide steel products for eco-friendly automotives and secondary battery material products, and customized application solutions for clients as a whole package.

With the launch of “e Autopos”, POSCO plans to pioneer the eco-friendly automotive market in the future with its partner companies under the slogan “Drive Green Future, Together,” and aims to provide products and solutions to global eco-friendly automakers. POSCO will also establish a systematic sales infrastructure to increase client satisfaction.

POSCO Newsroom plans to introduce various solutions of “e Autopos” that are expected to drive sustainable mobility, such as EV body & chassis steel plates, energy-efficient steel plates for traction motors, steel for battery packs, battery materials, and bipolar plate for FCEV — all made with POSCO’s technology.

POSCO Chemical is also focusing on the production of anode materials, having completed the construction of the second anode material factory in Sejong at the end of 2019. As to respond to demands for secondary battery material, the company is expanding the anode production system, which currently amounts to 44,000 tons per year. POSCO Group has been prioritizing the development of core materials for secondary battery for the past few years. POSCO Newsroom presents to you the details.

l What Does the Secondary Battery Material Business Mean for POSCO Group?

POSCO Group has identified the secondary battery material business as a new growth engine. In November 2018, POSCO Group set the proportion of overall sales in the Steel, Global & Infra, and New Growth sectors at 40, 40, and 20 respectively, and is to be carried out until 2030. As for the New Growth sector, POSCO’s secondary battery material business aims to obtain 20% of the global market share and expand sales to 17 trillion KRW by 2030. The advancement of the new business is expected to drive the group’s overall growth.

The secondary battery consists of four materials: cathode, anode, electrolytes and separator. Among them, POSCO Group is currently producing cathode and anode materials, as well as lithium, which is a raw material of cathode. Why has steelmaker POSCO and its affiliates joined the secondary battery material business? There are three main reasons for this.

The first reason is the significant change in the industrial environment. Demand for secondary battery materials is continuing to increase owing to the rapid growth of Sustainable mobility business and energy storage systems. Electric vehicles (EV) are in the center of these changes.

Major research institutes revealed that the global electric vehicle market and the LiB (Lithium-ion Battery) market — LiB being one of the most typical forms of secondary batteries — is expected to grow rapidly. The global electric vehicle market, on the basis of BEVs and PHEVs, will see a boost in its sales from 3 million in 2020 to 9 million in 2025. The LiB market size will also expand considerably, recording a growth rate of more than 22% per year (from 329 GWh in 2020 to 610 GWh in 2025).

*BEV: Stands for Battery Electric Vehicle. Runs 100% on battery alone.
*PHEV: Stands for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Runs on battery as well as its on-board engine.

The advancement of the electric vehicle market is estimated to drive growth in the secondary battery market as well. By 2030, the market will expand 3.2 times in comparison to the present market, which will also trigger the cathode, anode material, and lithium market. These changes in the market are a good opportunity for POSCO Group to demonstrate its capabilities since POSCO has a strong understanding of the automotive industry with its experience of supplying steel products to global automakers.

The second reason is that POSCO has been handling numerous raw materials and subsidiary materials needed for the steelmaking process, including iron ore, coal, nickel, chromium, and manganese. Given that resources are scarce in South Korea, this experience is crucial and directly connected to securing materials required for producing secondary battery materials.

Finally, POSCO has the capability to expand the material business, utilizing various process technologies and by-products that are generated in the steel making value chain. The production of synthetic graphite is one such example. Coal tar is a by-product created while making cokes in POSCO Steelworks. PMC Tech, an affiliate of POSCO Chemical, processes this coal tar into needle cokes, with which POSCO Chemical in turn produces synthetic graphite, a raw material for anode.

l POSCO Group’s Secondary Battery Material Business Structure

Then how is POSCO Group advancing into the secondary battery material business? The main business structure is as seen in the diagram below.

POSCO supplies lithium and coal tar, which are raw materials for cathode and anode materials. With the provided materials, POSCO Chemical produces cathode materials such as, NCM* (Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese) and LMO* (Lithium, Manganese, Oxide), as well as natural graphite, an anode material. The resulting cathode and anode materials are supplied to the battery manufacturer to make the final product — Lithium-ion battery. Initiating this year, POSCO plans to expand the business into producing synthetic graphite by utilizing needle cokes produced by PMC Tech, a group affiliate.

l Where POSCO Stands in the Current Secondary Battery Material Market

(1) POSCO – Securing and manufacturing raw materials of ‘lithium’
POSCO has POSLX (POSCO Lithium eXtraction) technology, a unique lithium extraction technology. PosLX technology utilizes ore and brine to make battery-grade lithium. POSCO was the first company in Korea to produce lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide in 2017 and 2018, respectively. POSCO’s endeavor to secure overseas raw materials continued, and as a result, it signed a long-term contract with lithium producer Pilbara Minerals in Australia to purchase lithium concentrate, the annual production capacity from which is projected at 40,000 tons. POSCO also signed a contract with Galaxy Resources Limited and acquired mining rights at Hombre Muerto Salt Lake in Argentina.

Once the lithium ore plant in Gwangyang and the saltwater lithium plant in Argentina are completed in 2022 and 2023, respectively, POSCO estimates to spearhead the per-year production capacity of lithium hydroxide to 65,000 tons. The new system is to supply materials to POSCO Chemical in a more stable manner.

(2) POSCO Chemical – Establishing a mass-production system of cathode and anode materials
In April 2019, POSCO launched POSCO Chemical, which is a merger between POSCO ChemTech and POSCO ESM. POSCO ChemTech is a manufacturer of anode materials, and POSCO ESM produces cathode materials. The merger was carried on to improve synergy between the two groups’ energy materials businesses as well as augment the company’s capacity by integrating the marketing-production-R&D system. After the successful merger, POSCO Chemical has been accelerating investment in securing production facilities.

For cathode materials, POSCO has an overall yearly production capacity of 44,000 tons at a group level — Gumi plant (9,000 tons), Gwangyang plant (30,000 tons), and ZPHE in China (5,000 tons). ZPHE (standing for Zhejiang POSCO-HUAYOU ESM) is a joint venture with China’s Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd., the world’s largest cobalt producer. Gwangyang plant specializes in manufacturing products for electric vehicles, and as a measure to meet market demand, the plant is to increase production capacity to 90,000 tons per year in the future. This amount enables the production of up to 750,000 electric vehicles, given that each vehicle can travel 500 km for a single charge. The cathode materials produced at Gwangyang plant are supplied to multiple electric vehicle battery production lines located in Korea, Europe, China, and the U.S.

▲ POSCO Chemical’s Gwanyang plant reaches 165,203㎡ equivalent to 20 soccer fields.

The Gwangyang cathode material plant, which was completed on May 14, has adopted POSCO Group’s state-of-the-art Smart Factory technology. The technology enables automatic transportation of raw materials, precursors, half-finished products, and end products, as well as an integrated control center in charge of the automated warehouse, product design, process management, and shipping. This accomplishment has helped secure competitiveness by improving productivity and stabling quality control.

The improvement of secondary batteries is crucial in the advancement of electric vehicles. As this is directly related to better mileage, the demand for high-capacity cathode materials that have a high proportion of nickel is becoming increasingly high. For this reason, POSCO Chemical is currently focusing on the mass-production of cathode materials with nickel proportion of 65% and also developing materials that are more than 90% nickel-based.

As for anode materials, the company has enabled the production of natural graphite, an anode material, by establishing facilities at the Sejong plant no.2 last year. This achievement is to facilitate annual production of 44,000 tons, ranking high amongst global producers. The company plans to make efforts to broaden the product line and build another plant in Pohang to manufacture synthetic graphite. POSCO Chemical is innovating into a ‘Total Supplier’ of secondary battery materials by producing both cathode and anode materials and is taking its place firmly in the electric vehicle market.

(3) Cooperating on R&D projects with RIST & POSTECH
POSCO is working closely with RIST and POSTECH to strengthen its competitive edge in R&D for secondary battery materials. The group’s secondary battery material research center, which was established in June last year, is developing next-generation cathode and anode materials as an effort to improve the performance of electric vehicles. Devising new process technologies that can help maintain cost competitiveness in the battery market is also another main task of the research center. By evaluating secondary battery performance through its unique infrastructure, the research center has been providing batteries that are manufactured with self-produced cathode and anode materials for various customers and tasks.

In May 2019, POSTECH established an ‘Industrial-Academia Research Center’ with POSCO Chemical to strengthen industry-academia cooperation through joint research in the three following fields: secondary battery materials, carbon materials, and chemical materials. The center also aims to foster professionals of each area by utilizing scholarship and dispatch programs. The first phase of the cooperation between POSCO Chemical and POSTECH, is to be carried out until May 2024. Main tasks include developing high-performance cathode and anode materials, and new premium activated carbon materials.

The secondary battery material business has definitely taken its place as POSCO’s new growth engine. The past decade is full of the company’s endeavor, and more are expected as the business is set to serve as the driving force of POSCO in the next 50 years to come.

*Related article: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Secondary Batteries

Among the three pillars under which POSCO perfects its mega trends – Neo Mobility, Mega City, and Eco Energy – ‘Neo Mobility’ features the go-to future modes of transportation, electric vehicles. Neo Mobility has been the guidepost for the future as POSCO resolutely focused its energy to make headway with EV products like the battery, chassis, traction motor, as well as hydrogen fuel cell in all of which steel plays crucial roles.

In regards to such roles steel play, the worldsteel’s analysis helps understanding how steel contributes to powering the EVs, the future. POSCO Newsroom reports.

As the next wave of electric vehicles (EVs) begins to hit the roads, steel is set to play a vital role in the chassis, engines and charging stations that will power the cars of the future.

The world is in the middle of an evolution of its mobility systems. Electric vehicles are more aesthetic, high-performing and efficient than ever. And thanks to government policies supporting greener transport, there is set to be a dramatic increase in the number of EVs on our roads over the next five years. In Europe, the number of EVs rocketed to more than a million in 2018, while China’s car market continues to lead the way.

Electrical steel is vital for its use in the stators and rotors in the motor of an electric vehicle.

In recent years, steel has increasingly been favoured over aluminium as the metal of choice in EV construction, largely because of its lower cost and superior strength. Materials like Advanced High Strength Steels are playing a vital role in lowering vehicle weight while still offering high passenger protection.

EV manufacturer Tesla, for example, shifted to steel for its first mass market offering, the Model 3. Other manufacturers who have opted for steel in their vehicles include Nissan, for its Leaf model – the best-selling all-electric car worldwide – and Volkswagen for the e-Golf.

l Magnetic appeal

The engines that power EV are also reliant on the unique properties of steel. Electrical steel, which is manufactured to contain specific magnetic properties, is a key component in transformers and generators. This material is also vital for its use in the stators and rotors in the motor of an electric vehicle. Here it has a critical influence on the efficiency of the motor, minimising core energy losses and boosting the vehicle’s range.

Motors used in industrial machinery typically operate at between 5,000-8,000RPM, but the electric motors in modern vehicles can reach speeds four times higher than this. This generates significant heat, which can increase core losses and negatively impact vehicle performance. At this many revolutions, the motor components undergo extreme mechanical stress and here electrical steel can be relied upon for its high durability.

In 2015, steel manufacturer thyssenkrupp developed a new electrical steel that raised the bar for EV performance. This has resulted in core losses nearly 30 percent lower when compared with motors made from conventional steel. It also displays extreme strength that allows for more compact high-speed motors, lowering weight and reducing the space they take up.

l Leading the charge

But while EVs are becoming increasingly efficient, popular and affordable, one key stumbling block has the potential to disrupt this growth – a comprehensive charging network. And as it stands, the infrastructure is not where it needs to be. In fact, according to a recent study by Emu Analytics, a London-based data science and software company, there is a projected 83% shortfall in the required number of charging points for electric vehicles by 2020. This could lead to enormous congestion at charging stations.

▲ EV engines use electrical steel in their construction for its unique magnetic properties (Image: iStock)

Tasked with the responsibility of lightening this load, a number of electric vehicle charging options are being explored, and steel is often a key component. Chargers such as the CHAdeMO charging system are leading the way, with many EV manufacturers – including Nissan, Mitsubishi and Tesla – investing in this model.

Manufacturers of CHAdeMO stations use steel for the chargers’ housing because of its strength and durability in all weather conditions, even in salty climates like coastal cities. As the number of charging stations across the world expand, including to more rural and remote areas, a strong steel shell with low to no maintenance requirements will play a critical role in service reliability.

The future has never looked greener for EVs, but failing to deploy charging points could be a major barrier to ownership. According to Richard Vilton, CEO of Emu Analytics, the key is to invest in expanding this network early on. “Companies that do this are not only poised to become global leaders in electric vehicles, but also have the opportunity to play an instrumental role in shaping a sustainable future,” he concludes.

Whether its improving their efficiency, lightening their load without compromising on safety, or enabling the rollout of vital charging infrastructure, steel will play a key role in realising the electric vehicle rEVolution.

The original content published on the worldsteel’s ‘Our Stories’ section is available at: https://stories.worldsteel.org/automotive/electric-charging-vehicles-future/

Lightweight is compulsary for future electric vehicles(Source: MEGAEV)

The Lighter the Car, the Further it Goes

Vehicle electrification refers to the reduction or removal of the internal combustion engine and replacing it with an electric motor and battery. While electrification helps reduce global warming emissions, the batteries used in electric vehicles are too large in volume and weight, which limits the number of batteries a vehicle can carry. This leads to the critical drawback of an EV – that it cannot travel far on a single charge.

Placing more batteries in the vehicle to increase the driving range will also increase the vehicle weight, causing a further decrease in energy efficiency. So what are the ways to improve efficiency in electrified vehicles?

Material Matters

Reducing the weight of the materials used in the vehicles can be one solution. With government subsidies, EV manufacturers have been using carbon fiber composite materials and aluminum, which are lightweight but high cost materials to reduce vehicle weight. As EVs become more common and manufacturing cost becomes a growing concern, steel is expected to become an attractive alternative as a more economical material.

Also, since the battery is highly flammable upon impact, the ultra-high strength steel is expected to become more widely used in electric vehicles for an added layer of protection against collision. As provider of various steel solutions for automobiles including the ultra-high strength ‘GIGA STEEL’ and magnesium panels, POSCO is accelerating its efforts to support the changing needs of the auto industry to provide durable and lightweight solutions.

Limited performance of battery for electric vehicle can be improved by increasing the density of battery(Source: Los Angeles Times)

Battery, the heart of the EV

Electric vehicle gets its propulsion from batteries. The current issue of the battery is developing the battery with higher density. Like any other batteries, batteries for EV also have a lower density of energy compared to petroleum fueled energy. Basically, the energy density of battery is decided by the ratio of the substances (Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt and Manganese) composing cathode.

Due to the fluctuation of the price, increasing the ratio of Nickel is the new strategy to maximize the efficiency. In the recognition of this trend, POSCO ESM, one of the affiliates of the POSCO that manufactures the material for cathode and anode for batteries, developed PG-NCM (short for POSCO Gradient-Nickel Cobalt Manganese, applied NCM811 that contains more than 80% of Nickel) to prepare the future battles of electric battery field.

Efficiency of electric vehicle is still controversial(Source: Cardiff University Research)

What Drives the EV?

Another factor that can help increase the efficiency of an electric vehicle is the driving motor, which acts as an engine that moves the vehicle. Efficiency of the driving motor can be increased by reducing the thickness of the steel layers in the motor core, a key component of the driving motor. POSCO’s Hyper NO and self-bonding technologies enable production of 0.15mm ultrathin steel layers and high efficiency motor core components.

Efficiency of electric vehicle is still controversial(Source: LGNewsroom)

Future of Mobility

As public transportation becomes more convenient and the sharing economy becomes more widespread, it is becoming easier to “share” a vehicle whenever needed. With increased automation, we will see more vehicles that are simplified to accommodate 1, 2 persons or 8-person shuttles that are optimized for the shared economy. The race to provide the finest materials and components to accelerate the shift of paradigm of mobility has already begun.

Self-driving vehicle is a new trend for automotive industry(Source: TESLA)

Transformation of future automotive industry

The automobile industry is undergoing dramatic changes, including the rapid expansion of autonomous cars and stronger environmental regulations. Automakers are jumping into the autonomous driving market with the rise of ride sharing services, such as Uber and Didi, and vehicle ownership quickly becoming an option rather than mandatory. Additionally, with regulations on emissions continuing to tighten, automakers are viewing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions as priority mandates for future sustainability. These shifts in the auto industry are also driving other changes, such as how manufacturers are designing vehicles.

Electric car sharing is beneficial for both individual and society by saving transportation fee and lowering carbon emission(Source: La Valdichiana)

The key value proposition of autonomous vehicles is to be ‘user-friendly’, compared with traditional ‘driver-friendly’ vehicles. While the main function of automobiles as a transportation mode has not changed, the concept of how to offer a convenience-oriented experience to the automobile user is undergoing remarkable innovation. In this context, steel will factor crucial as the primary material of the next generation of automotive.

Material production will be fundamental

As future user-oriented automotive will require more battery power, automakers will need to identify a method to implement more batteries in their vehicles. The issue, however, facing automakers is battery capacity improvement is limited. The more batteries, the heavier the car. As example, electric cars are much heavier than gasoline or diesel cars because of the weight of batteries.

To address this, automakers are investing in solutions to increase battery capacity while maintaining a low vehicle weight. Lower vehicle weights are also mandated by new environmental regulations as lighter cars lead to lower fuel consumption. In order to reduce fuel consumption through technological developments, automobile manufacturers are suggesting to reduce the weight of the car’s body, while still ensuring safety, through utilization of special materials.

“In the near future, there will not be substantial improvement in battery capacity and in battery power. This means we have to put more batteries in the car. So Lightweight design is mendatory” – Ingo Olschewski, fka, Germany

Material used on vehicle frame will decide the success of manufacturing lightweight vehicle(Source: Compositespress)

Material production, in specific, will be increasingly fundamental as the ideal method for maximizing lightness, with alternative materials such as AHSS, magnesium, aluminum, and plastic anticipated to take the spotlight.

Steel still primary for the future

As the market for autonomous cars continues to rapidly expand, automakers will require more steel than before. The design flexibility of steel offers diverse benefits for automakers, such as higher formability. With steel, automakers can develop more complex designs for users, and autonomous car manufacturers are able to maximize on safety and cost with steel’s inherent advantages.

Going forward, it is anticipated that the development of lightweight materials centered on ultra-high-strength steel sheets will be expanded, with steel continuing to serve as the primary material for the automotive industry.

Steel is still considered as primary materials for manufacturing future vehicle(Source: AutoComponentIndia)

Unlimited potential of steel, AHSS

Among different steel products, Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) is a complex, advanced material, with careful chemical composition and multiphase microstructures resulting from precisely controlled heating and cooling processes. For reasons from its lighter weight to strength to design flexibility, AHSS promises to serve as a key alternative source for future vehicles.

In terms of weight, AHSS is more effective than aluminum when it comes to making cars lighter. A vehicle body weight of 250 kilograms can be reduced to 218 kilograms with AHSS. In 2012, POSCO developed its own PBC-EV (POSCO Body Concept Electric Vehicle) body applied with POSCO GIGA STEEL, resulting in a 26.4% weight reduction compared to an existing body of the same size.

GIGA steel provides huge improvement of manufacturing vehicles in terms of strength and lightweight

While an AHSS sheet weighs less than a regular steel plate, it has twice the strength. In particular, GIGA STEEL received its name for its tensile strength greater than 1 GPa (Giga Pascal), meaning it can withstand more than 100 kilograms-force per square millimeter.

POSCO GIGA STEEL falls within the strongest categories of steel available to auto manufacturers today. Usually applied to timber, outer plates, and reinforcement, when AHSS is applied to automobiles, the result is a vehicle body as equally lightweight as aluminum while also strong and safe.

Along with the universalization of autonomous cars, further environmental regulations will raise requirements for innovative automotive design. Steel has been indispensable in the automotive industry for more than a century, and will continue to remain so as the primary material utilized for automotive vehicles in the future, as solutions like AHSS lead the way.

Vehicle industry is entering evolutionary phase(Source: DS&F)

Trend of Future Mobility

One of the most competitive fields in the world, the automobile industry is currently eyeing two major issues in car body development: passenger safety and fuel efficiency. Competition is fierce between automakers to develop improved technology to make car bodies lighter, thus maximizing fuel efficiency and safety. The introduction of new environmental regulations as well as growth in popularity of electric vehicles has further thrust this focus on lightweight, high fuel-efficiency vehicles into the limelight.

What resources can be recommended for future frame of vehicle(Source: AutoTrend)

Then, what resources would be considered for manufacturing future automotive frame?

In the development of lighter vehicle bodies, steel still remains as an ideal option for the future of automotive frames. In fact, as new steel materials with higher strength capacities and lighter weights continue to be developed, other materials such as aluminium are being left behind due to certain drawbacks.
The future of steel is expected to deliver even lighter yet stronger designs, thereby further reducing a vehicle’s carbon footprint. In line with this trend, and with its unique strengths in durability and weight, AHSS as an alternative material in vehicle frame development has become a particularly hot topic in the industry.

Innovative technology make it possible to manufacturing eco-friendly frame(Source: MadeInAlabama)

Lighter for Green Society

Automakers are making significant investment in cutting edge research to discover technologies that reduce vehicle weight. This ensures they are effectively responding to the global trend of increasing standards for fuel efficiency, with a lighter weight the most effective method for improving car fuel efficiency.
Specifically, when vehicles are 10% lighter, fuel efficiency rises by 3.2%. In addition, acceleration performance increases by 8.5%, steering capability is 19% more effective, durability, 1.6 times higher, and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 3.2%.
Statistics like these back why steel should be considered as a future material for manufacturing vehicle frames, and for its part, AHSS shows impressive results when it comes to reducing carbon emissions.

To elaborate in more detail, the choice of material for even the same automotive part can have substantially different environmental impact, which can offset any weight benefit the specific material might offer. While there have been debates in the past about the best lightweight material, almost every car showcased at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), including the 2018 Car of the Year, was clad in AHSS and significantly lighter than its predecessors.

For example, the all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado comes armed with plenty of steel, with 80% of the vehicle consisting of a higher-grade alloy in the roll-formed, AHSS bed floor. This makes the bed more functional and lighter in weight, resulting in a 450lb/204kg weight reduction. Overall, while the all-new Silverado is taller and seven inches wider than before, it is also 450 pounds lighter with a 10% increase in torsional rigidity compared to the previous model.

Dodge Ram showed outstanding performance with AHSS

In another example, the 2019 Dodge Ram 1500, which was also unveiled at NAIAS, utilizes 54% AHSS in the truck bed and cab, and 98% in the frame. The use of AHSS helped to give the Dodge Ram a 225lb reduction in weight, along with a fuel efficiency increase of 25%, and 20% towing capacity improvement.

Future vehicle is required to be lighter and even stronger(Source: GreenCarReports)

Lighter and even Stronger

While car bodies need to be lighter to improve fuel efficiency, durability can be affected if the body is made too thin. In terms of safety, durability, and weight, AHSS, is helping the car to evolve.

Steel has proved itself to be competitive materials for future vehicle(Source: StarHaus Mercedes-Benz)

“The higher, the yield strength, the higher, the tensile strength. Due to its unique character, steel can absorb higher energy in a crash.” — Kenji Nishimura, JTE STEEL

A key reason why the automobile industry continues to focus on steel products is due its strength, and with ongoing advancements, the strength of steel has increased from 270 MPa over the past 20 years to about eight times the strength of 1 MPa, which can withstand 10 kg per ㎠.

AHSS(Advanced High Strength Steel) may show us the right passage for the future vehicle(Source: Arcelormittal)

According to Kia Motors America, the structure of the all-new Kia Sportage is significantly improved due to the extensive use of AHSS. With 51% of the Sportage’s body-in-white consisting of AHSS versus the outgoing model’s 18%, torsional rigidity has improved 39%. Plus, the structure of the 2019 Kia Forte redesign includes 54% AHSS, improving safety and increasing torsional rigidity by 16%.

“Steel is a single metal which can be designed to suit all combination of requirements. That is what makes steel so unique.” — Kinshuk Roy, JSW Steel Limited, India

With ongoing and rapid improvements in both weight and strength, steel is figuring predominantly into efforts to manufacture future high-quality vehicle frames, as well as bringing new life to the automotive industry to allow it to continually thrive in the future.

Neo Mobility: Electric Vehicles that are Eco-Friendly & Safe

It will not be long until electric vehicles become popular means of transportation. POSCO, which makes the cathode and anode materials used in batteries for electric vehicles, is ready to support this new mobility trend: “POSCO ESM”, a POSCO affiliate, produces high quality cathode material, “PG-NCM(POSCO Gradient-Ni-Co-Mn)” and “POSCO CHEMTECH”, another affiliate of POSCO, is currently the only anode manufacturing company in Korea.

Megacity: Future City with Long Span Bridges, Skyscrapers, and Modular Houses

POSCO is at the heart of the future cities made of long span bridges, skyscrapers and modular houses. A “super long span bridge” is classified as such when the distance between towers is greater than 1km. The cables that connect the towers and the hangers that support these cables need to be made with stronger steel materials. PosCable (“POSCO wire for Cable”) is steel made with multiple thin wires, each thinner than a drinking straw but strong enough to hold a 4.5 ton truck.

Eco-Energy: Alternative Energy Made in Eco Island

POSCO dreams of creating an “Energy Island” where renewable energy is generated by eco-friendly materials only. Among the various methods of producing clean energy, wind power has been the preferred method due to its low cost. Even wind turbines used to generate wind power can vary in terms of life span and efficiency depending on the material used. Using Hyper NO, POSCO’s premium Hyper Non-oriented Electrical steel can dramatically increase the efficiency of the wind tower. Also, applying PosWIND (“POSCO Windpower”) to turbine bearings can increase durability.

Premium Living: Premium Appliances with a Touch of Style

POSCO World Premium Products also permeate our homes. “PosMAC”, POSCO Magnesium Aluminium alloy Coating product, is used on outdoor air-conditioning units to protect against external influences including dust, water and heat. Also, POSCO’s surface-treated steel sheets enable stylish designs on home appliances. PosART(“POSCO ARTistic Steel”) enables full-color printing on steel with resolution 4 times higher than original steel sheets, to overcome design limitations for home appliances.

See how POSCO’s state-of-the-art technology is powering the megatrends of the future in the card news here.