Hyundai Wia Surpasses 10 Million Units in Cumulative Production of 4WD Part-Time Unit (PTU) Components

Hyundai Wia employees are manufacturing PTUs, a four-wheel-drive component, at Hyundai Wia Changwon Plant 3 in Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do on the 31st.

Photo by Hyundai Wia

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Hyundai Wia has surpassed a cumulative production of 10 million units of the PTU (Power Take-off Unit), a core component of four-wheel drive systems.

On the 31st, Hyundai Wia announced that it is the first company in the domestic automotive parts industry to exceed 10 million units in cumulative PTU production.

The PTU, also known as a "transfer case," is a component that distributes some of the power from front-wheel-based vehicles to the rear wheels, converting them into four-wheel drive. It is mainly installed in sports utility vehicles (SUVs) such as Hyundai Motor's Palisade and Kia's Sorento. Hyundai Wia began producing PTUs in 1983 and surpassed 5 million units in cumulative production in 2015.

Hyundai Wia's PTU production volume has recently increased sharply. This surge in demand is due to the global popularity of SUVs and the recognition of four-wheel drive components as key parts that assist safe driving. In response, Hyundai Wia has significantly expanded its production facilities at its Changwon Plant 3 in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, enabling mass production of PTUs at an annual scale of 1 million units. While it took about 33 years to produce the first 5 million PTUs, the next 5 million units were produced in just 6 years.

As more customers choose four-wheel drive, Hyundai Wia is also focusing on related technology development. They are developing four-wheel drive systems applicable not only to front-wheel-based SUVs but also to rear-wheel vehicles like Genesis models and front-wheel-based sedans.

They are currently mass-producing the ATC (Active Transfer Case), a four-wheel drive component for rear-wheel vehicles, and an electronic coupling, a four-wheel drive control device. The electronic coupling adjusts power distribution between the front and rear wheels according to various road conditions such as snow, mud, and sand, enabling stable driving.

Additionally, Hyundai Wia has developed and is mass-producing an electronic limited-slip differential (e-LSD) that can be applied to high-performance vehicles. The e-LSD actively controls the driving force of the left and right wheels according to the driving situation.

Hyundai Wia plans to continuously develop four-wheel drive components and expand supply to global automakers. A company representative stated, “Hyundai Wia’s four-wheel drive components, including the PTU, boast world-class technology and quality. We will actively pursue research and development of four-wheel drive parts to become the leading global automotive parts manufacturer.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.