SK On·SK Signet Sign MOU to Diagnose EV Battery Life and Residual Value Using 'Chargers'

Joint Development of Battery Diagnosis Service through Collaboration between Both Companies... Scheduled for Introduction Next Year

Lee Kyung-min, Head of Business Development at SK On (right), and Kim Hee-wook, Head of Research and Development at SK Signet, signed a memorandum of understanding on the afternoon of the 24th at Park One in Yeouido, Seoul, to promote a cooperation project for electric vehicle battery diagnosis and certification. Photo by SK On

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] SK On, a specialist in electric vehicle batteries, and SK Signet, a charger specialist, are creating a battery diagnostic service using chargers.

On the 24th, the two companies announced that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote a "battery diagnostic service business using electric vehicle chargers" at Park One in Yeouido, Seoul, where SK Signet's headquarters is located.

Through this agreement, the two companies plan to introduce a battery diagnostic service next year that allows customers to diagnose remaining battery life and charging levels without any separate procedures while charging electric vehicles with SK Signet chargers. They also plan to develop battery residual value evaluation within next year.

Battery condition is related to vehicle residual value and safety, so it is always a concern for electric vehicle users. It is expected that SK On, a battery manufacturer, and SK Signet, a charger manufacturer, will be able to easily address these customer concerns through joint research. Broadly, SK Signet will develop chargers capable of collecting battery data, and SK On will measure and analyze battery data received from the chargers.

The usage method of the service to be introduced by the two companies in the future is simple. When an electric vehicle user charges their vehicle with SK Signet's fast charger, SK On's "BaaS (Battery as a Service)" analysis technology measures battery life and condition in real time. The diagnosis takes 30 minutes based on a 50kW charger, and the time decreases as charging speed increases. Diagnosis results can be checked through the screen of chargers being developed by SK Signet and a smartphone app to be developed by the two companies.

So far, SK On has developed excellent BaaS analysis technology for battery diagnosis. Over the past three years, SK On has improved diagnostic performance by analyzing about 200 data items from approximately 4,000 electric vehicles.

SK Signet is the world's second-largest electric vehicle charger manufacturer, holding over 50% market share in the U.S. ultra-fast charger sector. It provides customized total solutions covering installation, operation, and maintenance of charging infrastructure in cooperation with various domestic and international charging station operators (CPOs).

SK Signet plans to equip the battery diagnostic function jointly developed with SK On in a new charger product scheduled for release next year. The design of this product will be unveiled for the first time at CES 2023.

Lee Kyung-min, head of business development at SK On, said, "SK On has been striving to expand battery diagnostic services and improve diagnostic technology levels," adding, "Going forward, SK On will continue to grow diagnostic service infrastructure through cooperation with various companies."

Kim Hee-wook, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SK Signet's R&D headquarters, said, "Through chargers equipped with battery diagnostic services, customers will be able to check battery status simultaneously while charging, enabling a safer electric vehicle experience," and added, "We will continue to provide convenient charging experiences to accelerate the practical electric vehicle era."

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