Hyundai Heavy & Magna E-Car Systems to develop lithium-ion battery

1684 Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and 5026 Magna E-Car Systems (Magna E-Car), a supplier of components and systems for hybrid and electric vehicles, have announced a joint venture named Mahy E-Cell as a platform to co-develop and grow a successful battery cell and battery pack business. Under the agreement, HHI and Magna E-Car will jointly conduct engineering, design, development and testing activities with the goal of preliminary validation of battery cell and battery pack technologies for electric and hybrid electric vehicle applications. The joint venture will be owned 60 per cent by Magna E-Car and 40 per cent by HHI.

HHI expects the establishment of MAHY E-CELL to serve as a stepping stone to enter the Energy Storage System business and plans to link its solar and wind power business with ESS as a new growth engine. According to Lee Choong-dong, COO of HHI's Green Energy Division, "The establishment of Mahy E-Cell is a reflection of Hyundai Heavy's determination to become a leading eco-friendly integrated energy company by advancing into Europe and North America's electric car batteries market and ESS business. We see solar energy, wind power, and energy storage systems as integral to our future growth."