Hyundai Partners with IITs on battery tech and electrification

The Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest around US$ 7 million over five years, from 2025 to 2029, to jointly conduct battery and electrification-related research with the three IIT universities. 

Hyundai Motor Group has announced a strategic partnership with three leading Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to establish a collaborative research framework focused on battery technology and electrification. The partnership, involving IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, and IIT Madras, will see an investment of US$ 7 million over five years, from 2025 to 2029. The collaboration will expand into areas like software and hydrogen fuel cells.

As part of this initiative, Hyundai will set up a Center of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Delhi. This facility will be funded by the company and will lead research efforts tailored to address the specific needs of the Indian market in the areas of batteries and electrification.

Hyundai Motor Group Head of Research and Development (R&D) Planning & Coordination Center, Naksup Sung, stated,”We believe that Hyundai CoE will cultivate a strong network of talented individuals from India’s academic landscape, driving innovation and future growth.” 

In addition to research, the CoE will facilitate academic-industrial collaboration, fostering technical and knowledge exchanges between experts from South Korea and India. The partnership aligns with Hyundai’s broader strategy to enhance its footprint in India, a key market for the group’s mobility, steel, construction, logistics, finance, IT, and service sectors. 

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has invested in a battery assembly plant in Chennai, which is set to have an initial capacity of 75,000 battery packs per annum by next year. In addition, the company has also leased part of its Chennai Manufacturing Plant to Mobis India Ltd for EV battery assembly. These batteries will be supplied to Hyundai and its sister company, Kia, to reduce import costs for battery packs.

Headquartered in Seoul, Hyundai Motor Group is a global conglomerate with a diverse presence across multiple industries.