Accelerating the Shift to Eco-Friendly Vehicles... Expanding Technological Exchange
"Proactively Developing Innovative Composite Technologies for Vehicles"
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia are strengthening their collaboration for future mobility material development by investing in a Kolon Group subsidiary that develops advanced composite materials.
This is to secure competitiveness in future mobility products by utilizing advanced composite materials in various products such as hydrogen storage tanks, battery covers, and vehicles applying paint-free composites.
On the 3rd, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced that they signed a 'Strategic Future Mobility Materials Business Partnership' with Kolon Group at the Technology Research Center located in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. From the left: Yang Heewon, President of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia R&D Headquarters; Kim Changhwan, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Electrification Energy Solutions Division; Ahn Sanghyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks; Lee Gyuho, Vice Chairman of Kolon Group. (Photo by Hyundai Motor Company)
On the 3rd, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced that they signed a "Strategic Future Mobility Material Business Partnership" with Kolon Group at their technology research center located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The event was attended by Yang Hee-won, President of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia R&D Headquarters, Kim Chang-hwan, Vice President of the Electrification Energy Solutions Division, Lee Kyu-ho, Vice Chairman of Kolon Group, and Ahn Sang-hyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks.
Through this business agreement, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia will invest in Kolon Spaceworks, a subsidiary of Kolon Group, and engage in various collaborations to strengthen competitiveness in mobility materials.
Kolon Spaceworks is a specialized advanced composite material company that develops and manufactures materials used in automobiles and aircraft. Composite materials are new materials that mix carbon fiber and glass fiber with polymer materials. They are stronger than steel but much lighter.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia plan to enhance future eco-friendly mobility competitiveness by leveraging Kolon Spaceworks’ mobility material technology and production capabilities. Specifically, they will conduct joint research and development to improve the performance of hydrogen storage tank materials and battery covers, and respond to global eco-friendly regulations such as the European Union’s ELV (End-of-Life Vehicle Directive).
The paint-free composite molding technology currently applied to the electrification business platform ST1 will also be advanced through joint development with Kolon Spaceworks. They plan to consider applying this technology to Kia models in the future.
President Yang said, "With the paradigm shift in the automotive industry, the application of eco-friendly materials is expanding. We expect to proactively develop various vehicle composite materials and enhance business competitiveness through technological innovation."
Vice Chairman Lee responded, "I hope that the combination of Kolon’s advanced material technology and Hyundai Motor Company and Kia’s smart mobility capabilities leading the global automotive industry will become an opportunity to enhance the global competitiveness of the national industry."
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