Establishment of 'Hyundai Innovation Center' with Three Universities
Electrification Technology Research Hub... 5 Billion KRW Investment Over Two Years
Expansion of Expert Network to Ten Universities
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia are partnering with India's top engineering universities to secure core technologies for electric vehicle batteries. Through industry-academic collaboration, they aim to achieve results in electrification research, while also developing technologies tailored to local talent and the Indian market.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced on the 24th that they signed a contract on the 23rd (local time) to jointly establish the 'Hyundai Future Mobility Innovation Center' with three Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT). From the front row, left to right: Heewon Yang, President of Hyundai Motor and Kia R&D Headquarters; Rangan Banerjee, President of IIT Delhi; Manu Santhanam, Dean of IIT Madras; Sachin Patwardhan, Dean of IIT Bombay. Hyundai Motor Company
On the 23rd (local time), Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced on the 24th that they had signed a contract with three Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT)?Delhi, Bombay, and Madras?to jointly establish the 'Hyundai Future Mobility Innovation Center.' The signing ceremony was attended by Heewon Yang, President of Hyundai Motor and Kia R&D Headquarters; Eonsoo Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor India and Middle East Region; Changhwan Kim, Executive Vice President in charge of Electrification Energy Solutions at Hyundai Motor and Kia; Rangan Banerjee, President of IIT Delhi; Manu Santhanam, Dean of IIT Madras; and Sachin Patwardhan, Dean of IIT Bombay, among others.
The IITs, established in 1951, are India's premier engineering institutions, with 23 campuses across the country dedicated to innovative technology research and talent development. Since signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the three universities in December last year, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have been working to establish a specialized research base for electrification technologies in India.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia plan to invest approximately 5 billion KRW over two years in the Hyundai Innovation Center to conduct joint research on future mobility technologies, including batteries and electrification. The Hyundai Innovation Center will be jointly operated by Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, and IIT faculty members. Changhwan Kim, Executive Vice President, has been appointed as the co-chair of the operations committee.
The research projects will cover a total of nine topics across four areas: battery cells and systems, battery management systems (BMS), and battery testing. The projects include: development of AI-based battery state diagnostic technology; creation of test profiles for designing battery packs for Indian three-wheeled electric vehicles; development of silicon anode materials for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries; and development of slow-charging systems tailored to India's local charging infrastructure. Each project is designed to address the unique environmental and infrastructure characteristics of the Indian market.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia aim to improve key battery performance factors such as energy density, lifespan, and safety, and to secure effective technological solutions that can support the growth of India's electric vehicle market. In addition, they will run a program to solicit creative ideas from IIT faculty members to discover future technologies.
Furthermore, Hyundai plans to expand the Hyundai Innovation Center, currently centered around the three IITs, into a mobility expert network involving a total of 100 professors from 10 universities by the end of this year. They will also organize conferences to discuss the latest technology trends and hold policy roundtables involving government, industry, and academia by inviting officials from the Indian government and parliament.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia will establish a dedicated office space on the IIT Delhi campus and build a sustainable cooperation system by dispatching dedicated staff and hiring local personnel. Heewon Yang stated, "Collaboration with outstanding talent leading global industries will be a great asset not only for Hyundai Motor Company and Kia, but also for Indian society and its economy," adding, "We will continue to discover technologies tailored to the Indian market based on the innovative ideas of leading researchers."
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