POSCO gets nod for battery technology transfer to overseas plants

POSCO Chemical Co., a unit of South Korean steelmaker POSCO Holdings Co., on Thursday won government approval to transfer technology to its overseas plants to design, manufacture and process cathode materials used in high-nickel batteries.

The technologies of producing cathodes with a nickel content of over 80% are classified as among 75 key technologies for South Korea. They are under strict government control because of their technological and economic value, as well as the growth potential of the relevant industries.

They relate to 13 industries, including the semiconductor, electrical and electronics and steel sectors. 

The approval was granted by the Industrial Technology Protection Committee under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It came as POSCO is stepping up overseas production of the key battery material.

The company runs a cathode material joint venture Ultium CAM in Quebec, Canada with General Motors Co. and a cathode plant in China. 

A battery cell with a nickel content of over 80% offers longer mileage and shorter charging time for electric vehicles, compared to existing batteries.

Cathodes make up about 40% of a battery cell and are one of four key battery materials such as anodes, separators and electrolytes.

Write to Jae-Fu Kim at hu@hankyung.com
Yeonhee Kim edited this article.