Hyundai Steel Leads the Popularization of Electric Vehicles
Development of Battery Case Using Steel
Significantly Reduces Cost... Under Testing for Application in Hyundai Motor's Next-Generation Models
[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] Hyundai Steel has developed a battery case that significantly reduces costs by using steel materials instead of aluminum. There is growing anticipation that this will accelerate the popularization of electric vehicles through enhanced price competitiveness.
According to industry sources on the 13th, Hyundai Steel recently completed the development of a steel battery case that has a similar weight to aluminum battery cases but reduces costs by about 15%. The company is currently applying and testing it in Hyundai Motor Company's next-generation models.
A Hyundai Steel official explained, "To reduce the weight of the battery case, we applied ultra-high-strength steel sheets and press and roll forming molding methods to derive a steel battery case design structure weighing less than 98 kg."
Until now, automakers have widely used aluminum battery cases. Currently, aluminum materials account for nearly 90% of electric vehicle battery cases. Especially for luxury sedans such as the Tesla Model S, BMW i3, and Audi e-tron, most battery cases are made of aluminum. The reason aluminum battery cases are preferred for luxury car specifications is that they cool batteries faster and are lighter than steel materials.
However, as demand for electric vehicles increases and government subsidies for electric vehicles decrease, the situation has changed. Cost reduction has emerged as an essential factor to maintain competitiveness. There is a growing trend in demand for steel-based cases, which have excellent price competitiveness. Steel battery cases are already used in mid-range electric vehicles such as the GM Bolt and Nissan Leaf.
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Switching battery cases from aluminum to steel offers price advantages and improved safety due to steel's higher fire resistance compared to aluminum. Although research and development have been ongoing to compensate for weight reduction, the product recently introduced by Hyundai Steel achieves a weight similar to aluminum, raising expectations for its marketability.
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