Pohang City Establishes Global Network to Become a Hub for the Battery Industry

Exploring Cooperation in Norwegian Advanced Industries such as Electric Vehicles and Secondary Batteries

Nordic Companies Invited to November's 'International Conference for Leading Battery Cities'

The Pohang City delegation, currently visiting Northern Europe to expand foreign investment and integrate advanced industries into municipal policies, visited several secondary battery sites in Norway, a country emerging as a powerhouse in electric vehicles, to explore potential cooperation with Pohang.

On the 24th, the Pohang city delegation visited Morrow, a battery cell manufacturer located in Oslo, Norway, to explain Pohang's secondary battery industry infrastructure.

With concerns about a battery chasm rising globally in the electric vehicle sector, the delegation visited Norway, which boasts the world’s highest EV adoption rate and where electric vehicles account for 90% of new car sales, to examine trends and prospects of the European EV industry, a barometer for the secondary battery sector.

The chasm refers to a phenomenon where, before advanced technology expands into a mass consumer market, demand temporarily stagnates or declines.

On the 24th, the Pohang delegation, including Mayor Lee Kangdeok and City Council Chairperson Baek Inkyu, visited ‘Morrow,’ a battery cell manufacturer located in Oslo, Norway.

Morrow, Norway’s largest secondary battery company, has grown rapidly since its founding in 2020 and is currently constructing a gigafactory in southern Arendal with a capacity of 43GWh, enough to supply batteries for 700,000 electric vehicles.

Morrow has a strong connection with Pohang, having signed an agreement with POSCO Future M in 2021 for the development and supply of cathode and anode materials. Andreas Meyer, Vice President of Morrow, also participated as a speaker at the international battery conference held in Pohang last year.

The delegation visited Morrow to hear about the current status of EV and secondary battery development and technology, explained Pohang’s secondary battery industry infrastructure, and discussed possible avenues for cooperation.

In particular, Mayor Lee Kangdeok met with Lars Christian Bacher, CEO of Morrow, to introduce EcoPro, a world-leading cathode material company, and proposed exchanges and cooperation with Morrow. He also agreed to actively pursue friendly cooperation between Arendal, where Morrow’s headquarters is located, and Pohang.

Lars Christian Bacher stated, “With Norway’s EV adoption rate exceeding 25%, our domestic battery demand is considerable, and we look forward to continued cooperation and exchanges with Korean companies.”

The Pohang City delegation visited the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association located in Oslo on the 24th to learn about the current status of Norway's electric vehicle policies.

Mayor Lee Kangdeok said, “At the Battery Leading City International Conference to be held in Pohang this November, we will establish a separate Nordic session to introduce the EV and secondary battery industries of Northern European countries, including Norway, and invite companies such as Morrow to continue exchanges and cooperation.”

City Council Chairperson Baek Inkyu said, “The city council will actively support the budget for the secondary battery industry so that Pohang can become a global battery hub city.”

Prior to visiting Morrow, the delegation visited the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association in Oslo. There, the delegation learned about Norway’s policies, which have led to the world’s highest EV adoption rate, including bold tax incentives for EV purchases, low electricity rates thanks to hydropower, and the expansion of charging infrastructure.

Sveinung Andre Kvalø, President of the Electric Vehicle Association, explained, “Norway is actively implementing national-level policies to become the first country in the world to end the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2025. The association and the government are working together to ensure the successful adoption of electric vehicles.”

Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, “Pohang is focusing on advanced industries to the extent of establishing dedicated departments for batteries, hydrogen, bio, and digital sectors. As Norway is a leader in EVs and Pohang is home to many material companies, I hope we can continue cooperation in our many areas of common interest.”

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