Jeong-hu Hong, Lead Researcher Today, secondary battery materials are drawing attention as key drivers of future industries such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Among them, cathode materials are especially important, accounting for more than 35% of the total cost of the four major battery components—cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. This is because cathode materials determine not only a battery’s capacity and output but also its ability to store and release electrical energy.
At the Cathode Material Development Group, POSCO Future M Technology Research Institute, we conduct research on cathode materials, the core of EV batteries, and develop new technologies to bring them into commercial use.

Do-hyeop Park, Principal Researcher Cathode materials can be simply defined as a “source of lithium.” They are produced by combining lithium with precursors made of various metals such as cobalt, manganese, and nickel. The battery’s name, performance, and stability all depend on which metals are used. Batteries such as Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO), Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP), and Lithium Manganese Rich (LMR), among many others using different metal combinations, are currently being developed. Our team, in particular, focuses on the development of LMR cathode materials. Recently, General Motors (GM) and Ford announced plans to launch electric vehicles using LMR batteries in 2028 and 2030, respectively, drawing significant attention to LMR in the global automotive market. Our team is fully committed to advancing LMR batteries, which are poised to become game-changers in the electric vehicle industry.

Gwang-eun Jeong, Principal Researcher Among the lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles, LFP batteries are the most widely adopted. These batteries are predominantly developed technologically by China. While these are highly stable and cost-effective, their energy density is somewhat limited. For instance, at -10°C, their performance drops to only 60–70% of full capacity. To overcome these limitations, a newly developed LMR battery has been introduced. LMR batteries significantly reduce the use of costly cobalt and nickel, while increasing the proportion of more affordable manganese. With higher energy density than LFP, they enable greater battery capacity and performance, significantly extending the driving range of electric vehicles. Moreover, unlike LFP batteries, which are difficult to recycle, LMR batteries offer superior recyclability and high lithium recovery rates.

Jeong-hu Hong, Lead Researcher The LMR battery demonstrates outstanding competitiveness not only in terms of cost and performance but also in sustainability. Of course, despite its many advantages, there are challenges that must be addressed before mass production can be realized. To prevent performance degradation, various technological advancements are required, including maintaining stable average voltages and developing surface coating techniques for cathode materials to suppress unnecessary gas generation. In China, a large-scale LFP mass production system is already in place, making a swift transition to LMR production challenging. As a result, innovative research and development are even more crucial. Our team, after an intricate R&D process, has successfully completed the development of LMR cathode materials and is now focusing on establishing techniques for mass production.

Do-hyeop Park, Principal Researcher We divided the R&D process into laboratory and pilot production stages. In the laboratory stage, we rapidly and accurately explored the basic characteristics and optimal combinations of cathode materials under specific process conditions. Through creativity and experimentation, we successfully identified the best material combinations, reducing costs while enhancing the performance of LMR cathode materials.

Ju-hyeon Yang, Principal Researcher As Do-hyeop Park mentioned, cathode production involves a calcination process, where various metal precursors such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum are combined with lithium sources at high temperatures. During this process, we selected a variety of precursor candidates, evaluated their key physical properties, and identified the most promising materials for experimental application. By applying accumulated technical knowledge and analyzing the effects of variables throughout the development process, we successfully optimized LMR cathode materials, evaluating their initial battery capacities and lifespans. Through continuous refinement of material design, process conditions, and experimental testing, we were also able to assess the feasibility of mass production.

Jin-eun Kim, Principal Researcher This is not the end. Even if promising results are achieved in the laboratory, the performance of the developed cathode material may not be fully realized under conditions similar to those of mass production. Therefore, during the pilot stage, we adjusted loading amounts, production volumes, and sintering furnace conditions on lines that closely resemble actual mass production, repeatedly experimenting to identify the optimal production conditions.

Ji-su Kim, Principal Researcher In the laboratory stage, cathode materials can be sintered in quantities of 100 to 200 grams; however, customers occasionally request samples ranging from kilograms to tons. This means that during the pilot stage, cathode materials must be produced stably at the same performance level as those from the laboratory to allow customers to properly verify mass production feasibility. From our perspective, securing the optimal conditions for cathode material production made this stage particularly important.

Jeong-hu Hong, Lead Researcher Together with our team members, we conducted full-scale R&D to enhance the safety of the LMR process. Pilot lines require meticulous adjustment of conditions, as even slight process changes can significantly impact cathode performance. By repeatedly verifying various conditions and applying laboratory-designed firing processes to actual equipment, we achieved stable pilot production of cathodes with performance comparable to that secured in the laboratory, passing customer evaluations and finalizing the technology. Thanks to this work, we were able to secure optimal pre-mass production conditions and improve economic efficiency.

Gwang-eun Jeong, Principal Researcher I remember being quite flustered when we received a request from a customer to deliver pilot samples within just ten days. We had to simultaneously respond to the customer and optimize the material. In that situation, I decided to stay calm and divide roles among the team: I communicated with the customer to gather requirements, while Do-hyeop Park focused on optimizing experimental conditions. Thanks to everyone diligently working in their respective roles, we successfully met the customer’s requested delivery date and ensured proper material quality.

Do-hyeop Park, Principal Researcher At that time, with very little time remaining until the pilot sample delivery, it was challenging not only to produce samples but also to refine the material simultaneously. That’s when Gwang-eun Jeong, our team’s “maestro,” who perfectly coordinates our efforts, efficiently allocated roles. Thanks to this, we managed to produce the samples on time without any issues. It would have been impossible to accomplish this alone.

Jin-eun Kim, Principal Researcher There were moments during the pilot phase when performance fell short of expectations. Although the goals had been achieved in the lab, results in the pilot phase differed significantly, which was perplexing. We then collaborated to meticulously review each process step by step to identify the cause. By theoretically analyzing with Jeong-hu Hong and conducting repeated experiments with adjusted mixing times and sequences, we observed remarkable improvements in performance!

Jeong-hu Hong, Lead Researcher Currently, the global battery market’s core materials and component supply chains remain heavily concentrated in China, making the establishment of independent supply chains a critical task. Our foremost goal is to successfully commercialize LMR batteries with a stable supply chain and robust technical expertise. Moving forward, we plan to actively pursue research and development to create better batteries across multiple aspects, including enhancing material stability, securing cost competitiveness, and improving charge/discharge performance. To achieve this, I will collaborate closely with relevant departments such as production, quality, and sales. Ultimately, our team aims to join forces to successfully mass-produce LMR, a next-generation battery material, and become a future growth engine for the POSCO Group!

Ultra high-nickel cathode materials maximize driving range while enhancing safety and lifespan… also suitable for high-power mobility, including UAM and autonomous driving

High-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials deliver improvements across energy density, cost competitiveness, and safety

Complete cathode material portfolio addresses all vehicle segments… strengthens business competitiveness in the cathode materials market by addressing diverse customer demands

POSCO Future M has strengthened its premium electric vehicle market strategy and now possesses a comprehensive cathode material portfolio capable of addressing premium, standard, and entry-level EV markets.

POSCO Future M has completed the pilot development of ultra-high-nickel cathode materials for premium electric vehicles and high-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials. The company currently produces and supplies premium cathode materials centered on N8x*, and expects to further strengthen its business competitiveness in the cathode materials market by responding to diverse customer demands through mass production and supply of these newly developed materials.

*N8x: High-nickel cathode materials with nickel content of 80% or higher

Ultra-high-nickel cathode materials are premium materials that maximize driving range by increasing energy density with nickel content of 95% or higher. POSCO Future M is developing these materials to supply premium electric vehicles in key advanced markets, such as the United States and Europe, as well as urban air mobility (UAM), which is gaining attention as a future transportation option. As the expansion of AI utilization in mobility and the advancement of autonomous driving capabilities require substantial power consumption, the demand for ultra-high-nickel cathode materials that maximize energy density is expected to increase significantly.

While ultra-high-nickel cathode materials have relatively low thermal stability and shorter battery life due to their high nickel content, POSCO Future M has secured the required performance by combining single-crystal materials—which bond key raw materials into unified particle structures—with existing polycrystalline materials. Single-crystal materials exhibit robust particle structures with minimal cracking during charge-discharge cycles, and their structural stability has been further enhanced through the addition of auxiliary materials and surface coating of these materials. Cost competitiveness has also been secured through improved productivity in calcination processes.

POSCO Future M has also completed the pilot development of high-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials, targeting the standard electric vehicle market. High-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials reduce the proportion of expensive nickel to approximately 60%, while addressing the resulting decrease in energy density through high-voltage operation. Safety has been further enhanced by increasing the manganese content and implementing single-crystallization to minimize expansion and contraction during charge-discharge cycles. Additionally, cost competitiveness is enhanced by using co-precipitation-free precursors* during manufacturing, reducing expensive nickel content and cobalt in raw materials, and substituting inexpensive lithium carbonate for lithium hydroxide.

*Co-precipitation-free precursor: Precursor manufactured by omitting the co-precipitation process that mixes complexing agents and modifiers into metal solutions containing dissolved key precursor raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese

Following the pilot development of ultra-high-nickel and high-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials, POSCO Future M plans to secure mass production technology. This will enable timely production and supply upon request from domestic and international automotive manufacturers and battery companies.

Prior to this, in May, POSCO Future M completed pilot development of LMR cathode materials in collaboration with POSCO Holdings’ POSCO N.EX.T Hub, which oversees POSCO Group R&D, amid announcements by global automakers, including GM and Ford, regarding LMR battery adoption plans, and decided to secure mass production technology within the year. LMR cathode materials are gaining attention as next-generation materials that can rapidly replace the entry-level EV market currently occupied by LFP, as they can utilize existing cathode material production lines and offer superior recycling value compared to LFP cathode materials.

The POSCO Group maintains its policy of leading the future battery industry by conducting research and development on next-generation materials, such as lithium sulfide, solid electrolytes, and lithium metal anodes, at POSCO Holdings’ POSCO N.EX.T Hub.

▲ POSCO Future M has completed pilot development of ultra-high-nickel cathode materials for premium electric vehicles and high-voltage mid-nickel cathode materials. A POSCO Future M researcher is examining ultra-high-nickel cathode material crystals.

Set to be a game-changer in entry-level and standard EV markets being encroached by LFP… GM and Ford successively announce official adoption of LMR batteries

33% higher energy density compared to LFP provides driving range advantage, with high post-use recycling value expected to rapidly replace the market

Feasible to utilize existing NCM cathode material production facilities, enabling rapid market entry

POSCO Future M has completed the development of LMR (Lithium Manganese Rich) cathode materials, which will serve as a game-changer in the entry-level and standard electric vehicle markets, and is now moving forward with securing mass production technology.

Global automakers have recently been drawing market attention by successively announcing plans to launch electric vehicles equipped with LMR batteries. On the 13th, GM officially announced that it would launch electric vehicles using LMR batteries starting in 2028. Ford also revealed plans for LMR battery commercialization before 2030 and disclosed that it is currently conducting pilot production of second-generation LMR batteries.

LMR batteries are rapidly emerging as next-generation batteries as they can compete on price with LFP batteries that Chinese battery companies are primarily producing while offering superior performance.

LMR batteries can enhance price competitiveness by significantly reducing the expensive use of cobalt and nickel, while increasing the use of inexpensive manganese. Considering that LFP batteries are difficult to recycle, LMR batteries with high lithium recovery rates can have economic advantages as well.

Additionally, they can achieve 33% higher energy density compared to LFP batteries, securing greater capacity, and are expected to rapidly replace LFP market.

Recognizing these advantages, POSCO Future M selected LMR cathode materials as a new flagship product that will be a game-changer in the entry-level and standard electric vehicle markets. The company has been jointly developing commercialization technology with global automakers and battery companies since 2023.

POSCO Future M’s Technology Research Institute consolidated research capabilities with POSCO Holdings’ POSCO N.EX.T Hub, which oversees POSCO Group R&D, and achieved successful pilot production last year through continuous improvements in energy density, charge-discharge performance, and stability. The company plans to secure mass production technology within this year and actively pursue large-scale contract orders.

Recently, the company took a significant step toward mass production readiness by obtaining approval after conducting due diligence in the areas of equipment operation, safety, and the environment, as required for LMR production at the request of customers. POSCO Future M plans to establish mass production capabilities by utilizing existing NCM cathode material production lines without large-scale new investments, enabling timely product supply according to customer requests.

Young-jun Hong, Director of POSCO Future M’s Technology Research Institute, stated, “LMR cathode materials have long been recognized for their potential but faced commercialization difficulties in terms of cycleability, and we have made significant progress through research and development,” adding, “Based on solid trust relationships, we are on the verge of launching products that combine affordable prices with high energy density through collaboration with customers.”

Following this LMR cathode material development, POSCO Future M plans to expand its LMR product portfolio from entry-level and standard to premium and large EV markets by developing next-generation LMR cathode materials with further enhanced energy capacity in collaboration with POSCO Holdings’ POSCO N.EX.T Hub.

▲POSCO Future M researcher is testing the production of LMR cathode material products at Sejong Institute’s pilot plant.

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.

Set to begin operations in the second half of 2025, with an initial order of 1.03 million units from Hyundai and Kia for their European production

Aims for an annual production capacity of 7.5 million units and over 10 percent of the global market share by 2030

POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO Lee Kye-In) is setting up a production base for the European electric vehicle (EV)market this year, following its expansion into the North American market last year.

On the 11th (local time), a groundbreaking ceremony for the new traction motor core plant (PI-PEM: Posco International Poland e-Mobility) was held in Brzeg, Opole Voivodeship, Poland.

The event was attended by Opole Marshal Andrzej Bula, Brzeg Mayor Violetta Jaskolska-Palus, Korean Ambassador to Poland Lim Hoon-Min, POSCO INTERNATIONAL Green Industry Business Head Lee Young-Woo, and others.

The new plant, which will occupy a 100,000m² site, is expected to be completed by mid-2025 and will commence full-scale operations in the second half of 2025 with its initial project focusing on producing 1.03 million traction motor cores for Hyundai and Kia’ locally produced EVs in Europe.

Looking ahead, POSCO INTERNATIONAL plans to target major European EV manufacturers and build a production system for 1.2 million traction motor cores annually at the Poland plant alone by 2030.

This new plant will be part of its global production cluster for traction motor cores, which includes locations in Pohang and Cheonan in Korea, as well as in Mexico, India, and Poland.

By securing local production bases in key economic regions such as East Asia, Southwest Asia, North America, and Europe, the company has apparently eliminated the risk of tariff barriers due to increasing protectionism.

Contrary to recent concerns about the EV craze, the green car market continues to grow. According to the European Automobile Industry Association (ACEA), hybrid vehicle sales in Europe reached 3.41 million units in 2023, which is up 28% from 2022, with EV sales growing at a similar rate.

The European Union (EU) has announced a total ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) predicts that European EV sales will increase to 5.4 million units by 2025 and 10.6 million units by 2030, considering the EU’s carbon neutrality policy.

In particular, the traction motor core is a key component of the drive control system in almost all types of eco-friendly vehicles, except conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, and its demand is expected to continue growing in the future.

In response, the company plans to strengthen its position as a global supplier of eco-friendly mobility parts by establishing an annual global production capacity of 7.5 million units by 2030, aiming for a 10% market share.

“It is significant that we have secured a production base in Europe, which is at the forefront of the eco-friendly automobile industry after Asia and North America,” said a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official. “We will further collaborate with major European automakers to become a leading eco-friendly mobility parts company in the world.”

The is a long-term supply from 2025 to 2034, designated for plants in Turkey and Slovakia

Plant construction in Poland will begin early this year, with further negotiations for global orders from automakers underway

POSCO INTERNATIONAL is broadening its eco-friendly mobility business into Europe.

POSCO INTERNATIONAL (Vice-chairman Jeong Tak) announced on the 18th that it has received an order for 1.03 million units of traction motor core to be installed in Hyundai Motor Company and Kia’s first locally produced electric vehicles (Seltos class) in Europe from 2025 to 2034. Through the electrification plant at Hyundai Mobis’ factory in Slovakia, 550,000 units of traction motor core will be supplied to Hyundai Motor Group and Kia’s Turkish plant, and another 480,000 units will be supplied to the Slovak plant.

With this order, POSCO INTERNATIONAL, together with its subsidiary POSCO Mobility Solutions, has secured contracts to supply a total of 11.87 million units of traction motor core to Hyundai Motor Group and Kia over the past 15 months.

With this order, the company’s plans to build a local production plant in Poland have also gained momentum. Having established an investment corporation in June last year to build a plant in Poland, the company has been advancing its traction motor core business in Europe.

The Polish production plant, which will be the headquarters of POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s traction motor core business in Europe, will be located in Brzeg. Situated near Poland’s southwestern border, the location is adjacent to the production bases of global automakers in Europe, namely in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, making it a prime spot for local procurement.

The new plant, set to be constructed on a 100,000 ㎡ plot, is due to start construction in the first half of this year with completion expected by the first half of 2025. Upon successful construction, POSCO INTERNATIONAL will be able to produce and supply 1.2 million units of traction motor core annually in Europe by 2030.

The company is consistently developing a global production network to mitigate trade barriers in the electric vehicle market and proactively meet the local procurement requirements of automakers.

By the end of last year, the company had completed a new plant with an annual production capacity of 900,000 units in Suzhou, China. Additionally, in October of the same year, it finished constructing the first traction motor core plant in Mexico and is now considering building a second one in the first half of this year.

Once the Polish plant becomes fully operational, the company will, by 2030, have a global production network in Korea (Pohang, Cheonan), Mexico, Poland, China, and India, thereby achieving a system capable of producing and selling more than 7 million units of traction motor core annually. Through this, the company strategically aims to secure more than 10% of the global market share.

The key to the successful expansion of its business lies in the synergy between the technology and infrastructure provided by its subsidiary, POSCO Mobility Solution, in the mobility sector, and POSCO’s high-quality hyper non-oriented electrical steel (Hyper NO(sup>*), which is a key material used in motor cores.
* Hyper Non-Oriented Electrical Steel: Developed by POSCO, this steel significantly reduces energy loss compared to conventional electrical steel, and POSCO is the only Korean steelmaker that can produce this type of steel.

Established in 2020 as an independent subsidiary of POSCO INTERNATIONAL, POSCO Mobility Solution has become Korea’s top manufacturer of traction motor cores. The patented stacking method developed by its in-house mold research center is considered exceptional for maximizing the efficiency and performance of motors.

“This order is significant because Hyundai Motor Group, a leader in eco-friendly vehicles, will continue to collaborate with us in Europe as well as in the United States,” a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official said. “We will lead the global eco-friendly mobility market through collaboration with major Korean companies in North America and Europe.”

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