Hyundai Motor Group has joined the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI), the world’s only global pre-competitive research organization funding research into lead batteries for energy storage, motive and automotive applications.

Hyundai Motor Group joins CBI through its North American design, technology and engineering arm, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI). Headquartered in Michigan with operations in California and production facilities in Alabama and Georgia, HATCI supports development activities for the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands.

Ramping up research efforts to deliver next-generation advanced lead batteries, CBI’s new Technical Roadmap has identified key research pathways for the technology, widely used in start-stop and micro-hybrids. Another growing automotive application identified in the Roadmap is the use of low-voltage lead batteries in electric vehicles (EVs).

“As Hyundai Motor Group and HATCI continue to strive for an eco-friendly mobility future, we see significant value in joining the Consortium for Battery Innovation,” said John Robb, president, HATCI. “Combining resources, knowledge and testing scenarios will positively influence our industry efforts during a pivotal time in moving towards world-class electric vehicle propulsions.” 

Director of CBI, Dr. Alistair Davidson, said: “Having Hyundai’s Technical Center on board is a giant step forward for the industry in collaborating with the biggest market for advanced lead batteries: the automotive sector. 

“By working together with CBI’s global membership, which spans the entire lead battery value chain, Hyundai can really benefit from the latest in technology advancements and be able to integrate the technology into their products.”

Micro-hybrids forecast to be 60% of new car sales by 2030

Working with the automotive industry is a key pillar of CBI’s work and covers the entire automotive application space, from 12V batteries used in conventional, start-stop and micro-hybrid vehicles to low-voltage EV batteries. Micro-hybrids are predicted to represent 60% of new car sales globally by 2030.

 Each year, CBI holds workshops bringing together global lead battery experts and automotive OEMs to create synergies between pioneering research and automotive developments.

 New goals identified in the Roadmap by the CBI membership for automotive applications are building on the targets set out for Dynamic Charge Acceptance (DCA) in 2019. These targets have witnessed industry successes in the last two years, and have been expanded to include:

Start-stop and micro-hybrid applications: Ensure that recent improvements in DCA are maintained, whilst improving high-temperature performance and ensuring no trade-offs in key parameters such as Cold Crank Amps (CCA) and water loss.

Low-voltage EV applications: Improve DCA and charge acceptance, whilst increasing charging efficiency and lifetime.