CES 2026, the world’s largest technology trade show, has come to a close—and this year, one theme stood out above all others: robots. From humanoids and quadrupeds to sports and healthcare applications, robotics was everywhere on the show floor, signaling that the era of Physical AI—where AI and robotics come together in the real world—is quickly taking shape.

With Jae-bum Park, Senior Researcher at POSCO Research Institute, we look at what CES 2026 revealed about the future of robotics and where POSCO Group’s strengths could create new opportunities in this fast-growing industry.

Powering the Energy Transition: Robots Were Everywhere at CES 2026

At this year’s CES, robots were impossible to miss. Even in booths hosted by companies not traditionally associated with robotics, robot-related technologies appeared throughout the exhibition. The message was clear: AI-powered robots are moving beyond demonstrations and entering everyday life and industrial environments.

One of the most talked-about exhibits was Atlas, the humanoid robot presented by Boston Dynamics, Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics affiliate. Equipped with 56 degrees of freedom (DoF), Atlas demonstrated highly flexible movement and the ability to handle heavy-duty tasks involving loads of more than 50 kilograms—offering a glimpse of its potential in real industrial settings.

The exhibition also introduced a collaboration case involving POSCO and Boston Dynamics. On screen, Spot, Boston Dynamics’ quadruped robot, was shown moving through high-temperature facilities at a POSCO steelworks. In a noisy and heat-intensive environment, Spot was able to detect gas leaks and carry out precise inspections of equipment and infrastructure. The scene offered a compelling look at how robots are evolving from crowd-pleasing exhibits into reliable co-workers on industrial sites.

Another exhibit that drew attention came from Korean company Bodyfriend, which showcased a massage chair designed to feel almost like wearing a robotic suit. Its wearable AI healthcare robot, with independently moving arms and legs, attracted strong interest for its ability to analyze and stretch the user’s joints.

Robots were also making an impact in sports. Table tennis robots and combat robots once again proved popular with visitors, while sports robots introduced by Chinese companies such as Unitree and others showed just how far the technology has advanced. Some were able to analyze an opponent’s movements and track the trajectory of a ball in real time, providing highly detailed coaching.

Degrees of Freedom: What Makes Robot Movement More Sophisticated

As CES 2026 made clear, robot movement is becoming increasingly refined as technology advances. One term that many robotics companies use when discussing precision and flexibility is DoF, or Degree of Freedom. In simple terms, DoF refers to the number of joint axes a robot can move or control.

Generally speaking, the higher the DoF, the more independently controllable joints a robot has. This is particularly important for humanoid robots, which are expected to move in ways that resemble the human body. Industrial robot arms used in automated manufacturing processes typically have around 6 DoF, while humanoid robots usually range from 30 to 60 DoF. With 56 DoF, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas is close to the level required to mimic full-body human joint movement.

That said, increasing DoF also means adding more components such as motors, reducers, and sensors. In other words, the more sophisticated the movement, the higher the production cost. That is why robotics companies carefully design and allocate DoF based on each robot’s purpose and application.

Why Actuators Matter

An actuator is the drive unit that physically moves a robot’s joints. It can be understood as a complete joint system that combines a motor, reducer, sensor, and control circuit.

A motor on its own produces rotational motion. But for a robot arm to extend in a straight line or bend with precision, rotational movement alone is not enough. By integrating gears and electronic controls, an actuator enables more complex forms of motion, including both rotational and linear movement. If a motor is like a muscle cell, an actuator is the complete muscular joint that allows a limb to move in a controlled way.

For a humanoid robot with 56 DoF, roughly 56 precision actuators are needed.

Why Hyper NO Matters in the Age of Robotics

Electrical steel is also a critical material in motor manufacturing, accounting for roughly 20% to 30% of total motor production cost. This is especially important in robot motors, which must generate high output despite their compact size. In many cases, the performance of the electrical steel used inside the motor directly affects the motor’s overall efficiency and output.

To achieve better performance, the steel sheet must be made as thin as possible. If it is too thick, eddy currents* can form inside the material, causing energy loss in the form of heat.

*Eddy currents are swirling electric currents generated by electromagnetic induction when the magnetic field around a conductor changes rapidly.

POSCO’s high-performance electrical steel, Hyper NO, is designed to maximize magnetic performance even at extremely thin, paper-like thicknesses. The thinner electrical steel becomes, the more difficult it is to manufacture. In fact, only about five to six steelmakers worldwide, including POSCO, are capable of stably mass-producing electrical steel at the Hyper NO level. That makes it a strategic material with high technological barriers to entry—and an increasingly important one in the era of robotics and electrification.

Energy and Materials Will Help Power the Humanoid Robot Era

No matter how advanced a robot’s movement may be, it cannot function properly without enough energy. Today, humanoid robots typically operate continuously for only about two to four hours, making battery technology one of the biggest limiting factors in the industry.

At CES 2026, swappable battery systems emerged as a notable trend aimed at addressing that limitation. Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, for example, is known to operate continuously for around four hours, and it is even equipped with a function that allows it to replace its own battery when power runs low.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently predicted that there could be 10 billion humanoid robots within 25 years. If production reaches that scale, demand for actuators would rise into the hundreds of billions, making growth in demand for high-performance electrical steel almost inevitable. Once replacement demand is taken into account, the number of batteries required could also reach into the tens of billions.

This would also drive a sharp increase in demand for lithium, one of the key raw materials used in batteries. From this perspective, POSCO Group’s high-performance electrical steel technology and lithium assets are likely to draw growing attention as the robotics market continues to expand.

As robotics moves closer to real-world adoption, the future of the industry will depend not only on software and AI, but also on the materials and energy technologies that make advanced movement possible. In that future, POSCO Group is well positioned to play an important role.

POSCO Group CEO Jeong-woo Choi said, “We have established a full value chain for rechargeable battery core materials and gained a foothold to enter the global market…We will improve Korea’s competitiveness by stabilizing domestic supply chains.”

On November 29, POSCO Group completed the construction of the lithium hydroxide plant for POSCO-Pilbara Lithium Solution in the Yulchon Industrial Complex in Jollanam-do and the high-efficiency, Hyper NO (non-oriented electrical steel sheet) plant in POSCO Gwangyang Works.

With the opening of its lithium hydroxide plant, POSCO Group will become the first company to commercially produce the primary raw materials for rechargeable batteries in Korea, which are a vital driver for POSCO’s new growth. In addition, POSCO has established a foothold to lead the global material market for green vehicles by building an additional Hyper NO plant with the world’s best technology.

POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution, founded in 2021, is a joint venture between POSCO Holdings and Pilbara Minerals, an Australian miner. The company aims to establish a manufacturing system by 2024 capable of producing 43,000 tons of lithium hydroxide annually for rechargeable batteries, utilizing Australian ore lithium. The first plant has an annual production capacity of 21,500 tons, and the second plant with the same capacity will be operational in 2024. The annual volume of lithium hydroxide, 43,000 tons, is sufficient to manufacture 1 million electric vehicles.

On the same day,, POSCO Group completed the construction of its first Hyper NO plant, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 tons, to meet the increased demand for steel used for global green vehicles and premium home appliances. POSCO Group plans to complete the construction of its second plant with the same annual production capacity as the first plant by 2024 to establish a Hyper NO production system with a total annual production capacity of 400,000 tons (300,000 tons in Gwangyang and 100,000 tons in Pohang). With this capacity, the system can manufacture drive motor cores for 5 million electric vehicles.

POSCO Group CEO Jeong-woo Choisaid at the plant’s completion ceremony, “POSCO Group is now able to produce the core raw material lithium for rechargeable batteries in Korea and scale up the supply of high-efficiency electrical steel sheets. This will make POSCO a frontrunner in the global green vehicle market, enhance Korea’s competitiveness, and position POSCO as one of the representative companies producing eco-friendly future materials.”

POSCO Group has developed its own technology to extract lithium from ores, resulting in successful domestic production of lithium hydroxide previously sourced exclusively from overseas. This contributes to stabilizing the supply chain of raw materials for rechargeable batteries in Korea. Furthermore, benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can be expected since the entire manufacturing process, from procuring raw materials from Australia to processing them in Korea, occurs in the USA and countries that have signed FTAs.

Additionally, the expansion of the Hyper NO plant will assist POSCO in alleviating Korean customers’ concerns about potential supply shortages of raw materials for green vehicles. This will contribute to enhancing Korea’s industrial competitiveness. In the future, POSCO Group will explore the construction of a new plant in North America to increase production of electrical steel sheets. The aim is to achieve an annual production capacity of 1 million tons by 2030 in response to the fully established global electric vehicle market.

POSCO Group has bolstered its steel and rechargeable battery material businesses with the launch of its holding company in March of last year to complete a core material portfolio for the eco-friendly mobility industry.

Improving cathode material performance, increasing motor efficiency and reducing vehicle weight are crucial to enhancing the mileage of green vehicles. POSCO Group is the only company in the world that produces all the lithium hydroxide for high-nickel cathode materials, which is a high-capacity rechargeable material, Hyper No to significantly increase motor efficiency by reducing energy loss, and ultra-high-strength, lightweight Giga steel.

In the future, POSCO Group will increase POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution’s ore lithium production capacity to 220,000 tons with the completion of the lithium hydroxide plant. In addition, it plans to build a 100,000-ton production system for brine lithium in a total of four stages by completing the first and second plants utilizing Argentina’s brine resources, starting from next year. Also, the company will continue to increase its global lithium production capacity by exploiting unconventional lithium resources in North America, such as clay lithium and oil-field brine lithium, to produce 423,000 tons of lithium annually by 2030.

Meanwhile, POSCO Group plans to establish a full value chain for rechargeable batteries with an annual production capacity of 240,000 tons of nickel, 70,000 tons of recycling, 1 million tons of cathode material, 370,000 tons of anode material and 9,400 tons of next-generation materials in addition to lithium such as ore and brine.

▲POSCO Group completed the lithium hydroxide plant for POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution in the Yulchon Industrial Complex in Jollanam-do on November 29. From left to right: POSCO Future M CEO Jun-hyung Kim, POSCO Holdings New Experience of Technology Hub Director Ji-yong Kim, Pilbara Minerals CEO Dale Henderson, Pilbara Minerals Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Kiernan, POSCO Group CEO Jeong-woo Choi, National Assembly Member Dong-yong Seo, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Industrial Policy Director Seung-yeol Lee, and Jeollanam-do Deputy Governor of Political Affairs Chang-hwan Park.

▲POSCO completed construction of a high-efficiency, eco-friendly electrical steel sheet plant at Gwangyang Works on November 29.

▲Attendees at the completion ceremony of the Gwangyang high-efficiency, eco-friendly electrical steel sheet plant take a commemorative photo after signing the first produced electrical steel sheet. From left to right: Gwangyang Mayor In-hwa Jeong, POSCO Group CEO Jeong-woo Choi, National Assembly Member Dong-yong Seo, and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Industrial Policy Director Seung-yeol Lee.

▲View of the electrical steel sheet plant at Gawangyang Works.

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!

The ever-growing demand for electric motors can be attributed to several factors including the growing interest in eco-friendly and fuel-efficient motors and improved living standards in a number of densely-populated countries around the world. Plus, new innovations in home appliances are not only driving the demand for electric motors, it’s changing the way they are shaped, sized and put together.

So, how exactly do electric motors work?

An electric motor is in pretty much every electronic appliance. The motor is what turns electricity into mechanical movement. When an electric motor is charged with electricity, the axle, or metal rod turns and creates movement. The motor itself is powered by two opposing magnets – the permanent magnet and the electromagnet. When electric current is applied to the electromagnet, it pushes against the permanent magnet creating rotary or linear movement.

The inside of an electric motor. (Source: Stiavelli)

Many parts of electric motors are made of electrical steel, including the motor core. Electrical steel is an alloy of iron and silicon and can generate various magnetic properties. High-quality electric steel such as POSCO’s Hyper NO will have a small hysteresis curve that minimizes energy loss. POSCO’s technology also reduces core loss by 5 percent as well as motor noise by 5dB.

Electric Motors in Home Appliances

Home appliances currently account for about a third of total energy consumption and attribute to 45 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in an average household. Energy-efficient home appliances are in high demand due to increasingly stricter environmental regulations, consumers’ desire to save on utility bills as well as their desire to lower noise output from appliances such as dishwashers and dryers.

In order to maximize energy efficiency, engineers and manufacturers turn to high quality non-oriented electrical steel such as POSCO’s Hyper NO to meet consumer needs.

SEE ALSO: Why Electrical Steel Can Make All The Difference In EV Motors

Next Generation of Home Appliances

Aside from traditional home appliances, there is a growing number of innovative, next-generation home appliances that rely on high-quality electric motors for maximum efficiency, cost effectiveness and also range of movement.

These days, robots are part of the average household in the form of vacuums, personal home assistants, alarm clocks and more. Unlike traditional home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines that are stationary, innovative robot appliances move in different directions. This is where actuators come in. Actuators are electric motors in a gearbox, and the gearbox essentially gives electric motors added torque, or rotational force, that allows the robot to move in a variety of directions, including twisting and turning.

Actuators are what propels a variety of movement in robots. (Source: Motion Control Tips)

Moreover, engineers are now working with modular actuators to build robotic structures for a greater range of movement, speed and positions through segmented parts. Highly efficient, relatively low-cost and diverse actuators are coming together with AI sensors, voice recognition and smart controllers to breed a new generations of home appliances.

There are 3 different types of actuators based on how they are powered, and electrical actuators are most commonly found in home applications. Compared to the other types of actuators, electric actuators have lower speed and power, but are easy to install and control. Because they are often modular and can be applied for customized purposes, the resulting robots have a great range of motion to fit the new roles home robots are taking on.

Examples of Applications in the home

Here are some of the latest robots for the home that require advanced electric actuators and are changing the way people think of home appliances.

Aeolus Bot

The prototype for the Aeolus Bot was introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The robot can move around the nooks and crannies of the home learning different objects and places with its smart software. It can also retrieve different objects and clean the house using other home appliances.

The Aeolus Bot responds to voice commands. (Source: Unbox Holics)

Not only that, Aeolus also has Amazon’s Alexa software, recognize its owner’s face and can alert family members of any disturbances.

Sony Aibo

Sony’s Aibo looks and moves like a dog. With its voice recognition software it can respond to commands, recognize faces and perform tricks. Although the furless bot may not be able to swim or jump the fence, it can pick up a objects, sit, roll over and move much more dynamically than other home robots.

The Sony Aibo can do simple tricks on command. (Source: The Verge)

The changing face (and shape) of home appliances is putting actuators to full use with their wide range of movement, speed and positions. Highly-efficient electric motors and actuators will continue to be in high demand as new innovations in home appliances and robots keep rolling out.

Cover photo courtesy of GE Reports.

POSCO GIGA STEEL –  For Automakers

POSCO GIGA STEEL is like the iPhone X or the latest Xbox or PlayStation for automakers. It’s the newest, hottest must-have item for any type of car. Automakers are constantly working to lightweight their vehicles without compromising strength to meet increasingly stringent safety and environmental regulations. In order to offer its auto partners the ultimate solution, POSCO developed POSCO GIGA STEEL, an advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) that comes in 6 different types for a variety of applications in vehicles.

POSCO GIGA STEEL can be applied to different parts of a vehicle chassis. (Source: Renault Samsung)

Applying AHSS, including POSCO GIGA STEEL, resulted in a 26 percent reduction in the total weight of a vehicle. Not only that, POSCO GIGA STEEL emits about 10 kg less carbon emissions than aluminum from a life cycle analysis (LCA) viewpoint. Plus, POSCO GIGA STEEL is about 2.1 to 3.5 times less expensive than alternative options like aluminum. It’s no surprise that leading automakers like Renault Samsung, Ssangyong Motors and GM Korea use POSCO GIGA STEEL, proving it to be the all-time favorite gift for automakers.

PosMAC- For Photovoltaic Structure Manufacturers

Solar energy is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in the world, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). In India, solar electricity generation capacity quadrupled from 2014 to 2017 as it is the cheapest form of alternative fuel in the country. The government also plans to back the industry with USD 100 billion in investments. India is one of many countries looking to solar energy to meet their country’s environmental goals and stimulate the economy.

As a result, photovoltaic (PV) structure manufacturers around the world are working to keep up with the growing demand and gain a competitive edge with high-quality products. PosMAC is ideal for PV structures because it is highly corrosion resistant and cost-effective. Not only is the material itself lower in costs compared to other materials, PosMAC ensures a long lifecycle, decreasing maintenance costs to give manufacturers an added competitive edge. For such manufacturers, POSCO PosMAC steel is the perfect gift.

Magnesium- For Electronics Manufacturers

Magnesium is a common material in electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones. Magnesium is the perfect gift for electronics manufacturers such as LG and Samsung, as their competitiveness lies in delivering the most versatile, lightweight and convenient devices to their customers.

The Samsung Notebook 9 is one of the lightest laptops available. (Source: CNET)

Magnesium is also increasingly finding its way into the automotive industry, especially for electric vehicles (EVs), as magnesium plates and other parts allow automakers to further reduce the weight of the car. Magnesium will likely be the perfect gift for that manufacturer who is thinking ahead and always experimenting new ways to improve future models of their cars.

Hyper NO- EV Manufacturers

The market for EVs is one of the fastest growing, expected to expand from USD 27.84 billion in 2016 to USD 38.98 billion by 2021, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 percent. Much of the success of EVs lies in its motors that will determine the EV’s efficiency, performance and feasibility for wide-spread use. As such, POSCO came up with the perfect gift for EV manufacturers – the Hyper NO.

Hyper NO is a type of electrical steel used to make electric motors. POSCO’s new technology increases the magnetic flux density and reduces core loss of electric motors, making it the perfect gift for electric motor manufacturers looking for ultimate efficiency.

Stainless Steel Products- For Everyone

There are some gifts that satisfy just about everyone, like a gift card for the movies or the nearest cafe. It’s not super special, but it’s a safe and sure choice for anyone as it is practical and functional.

Stainless steel is the ultimate gift for manufacturers as it’s one of the most widely-used materials in the world for a variety of products including surgical tools, watches, kitchenware, buildings, pipes, artistic sculptures and plenty more. It’s literally the foundation of cities and communities all over the world, and without it, the world would not have the most basic systems in place today. Moreover, stainless steel’s non-corrosive and 100 percent recyclable characteristics make it one of the best gifts for every kind of manufacturer.

No matter the type, there is a perfect gift for every manufacturer with steel. POSCO will make sure to provide even more customized and innovative solutions for its partners and continue to “keep on giving” in the new year.

Stephen Zoepf is the executive director at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University.

To kick off the forum, Stephen Zoepf, executive director at the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University gave a presentation called “Electric Vehicles: Adapting to a Changing Marketplace” to share his insights on what future markets will look like and implications for automakers, suppliers as well as consumers.  

Here are the key takeaways.

The Future is Going to Look Very Different

According to a report by RethinkX, an independent research group, 6 trillion U.S. passenger miles will be driven in 2030, up 50 percent from 2021. Of those miles, 95 percent will be driven in self-driving, electric and shared vehicles and only 5 percent of those miles will be driven by internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

The report goes on to say that autonomous EVs (A-EV) will make up 60 percent of the U.S vehicle stock, and those vehicles will be part of a shared-mobility service. As more people start to share cars, the overall number of vehicles on U.S. roads will drop from 247 million in 2020 to 44 million in 2030.

SEE ALSO: Going Autonomous: The Transformation of the Transportation Industry

The change is already happening. In 2016, shared-mobility companies such as Uber and Lyft drove 500,000 passengers per day in New York City, which is triple the number of passengers from 2015. Today, more and more automakers like Tesla and GM are also entering the shared-mobility market.

EVs are already becoming prominent in major cities around the world. (Source: Time)

The findings illustrate a future where people drive more miles with fewer cars, which are fueled by electricity, and shared instead of owned. It’s a radical visualization of the future, but one that is driven by economic forces.

By 2021, shared vehicles will be 4 to 10 times cheaper per mile than private vehicles, and American households will save an average of USD 5600 every year by switching to shared EVs from cars fueled by gas, according to RethinkX.

Zoepf shared another report by ARK investment Management which echoes the finding above- in the next ten years, people will drive three times more kilometers using half the number of cars and the number of EVs on the road will increase 10 fold.

What It Means for Car Manufacturers and Suppliers

A shrinking vehicle fleet consisting of mostly EVs can only mean one thing: a major disruption to the current automotive market.  

Right now, the average lifecycle of a car in the U.S. is 11 years. However, the majority of a car’s total mileage is driven in its early years. It’s the same for shared vehicles, but they are driven about 80,000- 90,000 km per year, 10 times the distance of privately-owned cars. What this shows is a compression of the vehicle lifespan in its first 3 to 4 years.

These statistics pose critical concerns for automakers.

Will overall vehicle sales decrease in the coming future? According to Zoepf, that’s the wrong question to ask. Instead, automakers should be asking “will I make money?” Automakers have a couple of choices. They can either adapt early on and manufacture EVs and/or A-EVs at a competitive price, or become a shared-mobility provider. Early movers such as Tesla, GM and Volvo are already shifting their business strategies to fit these models.

GM recently launched Maven, a car-sharing service. (Source: The Verge)

Another question to ask is how these trends will affect vehicle design. With shortened vehicle life-cycles, manufacturers can either design cars to last only 3 to 4 years for quick replacements, or opt for the aviation model where the vehicle will be built to last, but the interior parts, such as seats, will be replaced frequently. Whatever route manufactures choose to take, gaining a competitive edge in vehicle and service quality early on will be key.

What Will This Mean for Vehicle Material Suppliers?

If building cars to last is no longer a primary priority, will car makers downgrade their materials? The short answer is not a chance.

Through a customer survey study Zoepf conducted of 60,000 Zipcar customers, he showed that the number one factor when choosing a car is safety. However, there is no one, ideal model or type of car that is preferred in a shared mobility framework. The purpose of the trip determines the type of vehicle, and the success of a shared mobility service provider will depend on the variety of cars it can provide – all with competitive safety ratings.

POSCO ICT already has ChargEV stations set up across Korea. (Source: POSCO ICT)

The supplier’s role will be to continue providing high-quality materials that can boost the safety and cost competitiveness of future vehicles. Steel suppliers have to keep developing lightweight and high-strength steels like POSCO GIGA STEEL, and research new materials that can boost the competitiveness of EVs such as POSCO’s Hyper NO for motor cores, battery materials and POSCO ICT’s EV charging service and infrastructure.

There remain numerous challenges that lie ahead for a greener and safer future with EVs and A-EVs, and it might take longer than experts predict for lawmakers, corporations and consumers to all agree on an optimal mobility model. However, change is already underway and automakers and suppliers alike need to strategize and adapt early on to take advantage of the upcoming opportunities.

For more information on how advanced automotive steel can benefit automakers looking for lightweight and sustainable steel solutions, take a look at our infographic on POSCO GIGA STEEL or read the full report here. 

Cover photo courtesy of GOV.UK.

POSCO hosted the 2017 Global EV Materials Forum at the Songdo Global R&D Center in Incheon.

POSCO welcomed more than 380 local and overseas customers to the forum where they announced the current status of POSCO Group’s EV projects and strategies. The company also showcased its core EV technologies for high-value-added products such as motors, batteries and lightweight chassis/bodies.

During the forum, POSCO highlighted customer needs, market trends and development statuses in three areas: lightweight materials, traction motor cores and batteries. POSCO researchers also gave presentations on POSCO’s high-value-added products and solutions to share market insights and technological developments with the participants.

Participants listen to presentations at the 2017 Global EV Materials Forum.

In his keynote speech, In-hwan Oh, president of POSCO, said, “POSCO is in full preparation for the future of an electric vehicle ecosystem, to become a reliable partner to our customers.”

There were also external speakers at the forum, including Stephen Zoepf, Executive Director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University, who spoke about “Electric Vehicles: Adapting to a Changing Marketplace.” Another external speaker was Martin Woehrle, senior director of BMW Korea, who gave a presentation on the trends in EV development.

In addition, POSCO held a separate exhibition at the venue consisting of four key product zones: motors, batteries, light-weight chassis/bodies and charging infrastructure. There was also an EV model on display in the Highlight Zone for a better understanding of the structure of EVs.

Visitors examine the electric Nissan Leaf

On display In the lightweight chassis/bodies exhibition zone was POSCO GIGA STEEL for lightweight chassis/bodies, which is lighter but much stronger than existing automotive steel sheets. Also on display was POSCO’s lithium materials for EV batteries; POSCO is the first company in Korea to commercially produce lithium for EV batteries.

In the motor zone was POSCO Daewoo’s a high-efficiency traction motor core for EVs made with POSCO’s Hyper NO, its highest-grade, non-oriented electrical steel. POSCO is already supplying it to major automakers.

The charging infrastructure zone showed POSCO ESM and POSCO Chemtech’s core materials of EV batteries, such as cathode and anode materials. In addition, POSCO ICT is the only company in Korea to provide a total-service electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including supply, installation and operation to membership management and supplementary services.

To close, POSCO pledged to become a “Total Solution Provider” for its partners in the auto industry bracing for the age of electric vehicles with its innovative technology, premium products and customized services.

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Electrical Steel is used to make electric motors for EVs. (Source: Wonderful Engineering)

According to Markets and Markets, the market for electrical steel is projected to expand from USD 27.84 billion in 2016 to USD 38.98 billion by 2021, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 percent. Electrical steels go through various demanding production processes such as annealing, hot and cold rolling and insulation coating. Having the most advanced production technology is paramount, and choosing the best quality electrical steel will determine the overall performance and efficiency of EVs.

What is Electrical Steel?

Electrical steel, also known as silicon steel, is a steel alloy of iron and silicon used to make the cores of motors, transformers and generators.  This softer type of steel can generate various magnetic properties, has high permeability and low amounts of core loss. It has a small hysteresis curve, meaning reduced magnetic hysteresis as well as iron losses, or energy loss.

There are two kinds of structures for electrical steel; grain-oriented and non-oriented.

Grain-oriented electrical steel sheets are most commonly applied to transformers. (Source: Nikomag)

Grain-oriented electrical steel has a uniform, consistent direction of grains in its structure which allows for greater flux density and magnetic saturation. Most commonly, grain-oriented electrical steel is used for transformers which have a predictable and specific magnetic field direction.

Non-oriented electrical steel plates are traditionally welded together to form electrical motors. (Source: LHD Motor)

A major factor that determines the quality of electrical steel is minimal core loss. Due to the constant change in direction of the magnetic field, the energy that is created can easily be lost in the form of heat. Core loss reduction has to be achieved through high-quality electrical steels that have high flux density and lower levels of core losses.

POSCO’s Hyper NO

POSCO is one of a growing number of companies dedicated to doing its part in creating an environmentally sustainable future. That’s why POSCO has been developing its premium non-oriented electrical steel to provide partners with material solutions for EVs.

Take a look at the video below to see how Hyper NO can increase the performance and efficiency of electric vehicles.

POSCO’s Hyper NO is processed using innovative methods such as the self-bonding technology which replaces traditional welding procedures to improve the core’s bonding force. POSCO also managed to reduce core loss by 5 percent compared to traditional types of non-oriented electrical steel and reduce the motor noise by 5dB with its rolling technology that can process the Hyper NO down to an ultra-thin form of 0/15mm. These technologies, along with the Hyper NO’s high magnetic flux density will increase the efficiency of the motor and improve the overall performance vehicles to which it is applied. Hyper NO is highly sought after by automakers looking for premium-grade electrical steel to apply to their EV motors.    

In February 2017, POSCO expanded its production facilities at Pohang Steel Works to increase its annual production capacity of electrical steel from 80,000 tons to 160,000 tons, enough to produce 2.6 million motors for EVs. The strategic move is in line with POSCO’s commitment towards expanding environmentally-friendly businesses as well as its solution marketing efforts to provide customized material solutions to its partners.