Hyundai Widens Academic Partnerships for Domestic Electric Vehicle Development

Hyundai Motor Group announced the expansion of its Center of Excellence in India on May 15, 2026, by adding four new academic partners to its electric vehicle research network. The automaker formalised agreements with IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur, and Tezpur University. These institutions join the founding members from the 2025 launch, which include IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay, to form a seven university consortium.

The collaborative platform is designed to accelerate the research and development of battery and electrification technologies tailored specifically for the Indian market. The consortium is currently advancing 39 joint research projects across its partner network. The research agenda focuses on critical areas of electric vehicle readiness, including battery cell design, battery management systems, energy density, safety protocols, and diagnostic technologies. Specific initiatives include the development of battery materials optimized for local conditions and an artificial intelligence powered Vehicle to Grid platform.

To support these research initiatives, the company initiated a strategic investment program in 2025. Alongside the core research projects, the group is establishing a visiting program to facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers in India and South Korea.