POSCO International to up production of separators for hydrogen EVs

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- POSCO International Corp. said Monday its steel processing unit will expand its production capacity of bipolar plates used in hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicles to meet growing demand.

POSCO SPS, wholly owned by POSCO International, will produce 10,000 tons a year of fuel-cell bipolar plates by 2027, which is enough to manufacture about 245,000 fuel-cell electric vehicles, the company said in a statement.

Currently, POSCO SPS produces 1,400 tons of fuel-cell bipolar plates per year at its plants in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul.

South Korea's steel giant POSCO Group has been pushing to boost its EV business in recent years as part of a diversification strategy.

Last month, POSCO Chemical Co., an affiliate of POSCO, announced its plan to invest 275.8 billion won (US$248 million) to expand its production capacity of cathodes, a key component for EV batteries.

POSCO Chemical said the plant in the southern city of Gwangyang will boost its annual production capacity of cathodes to 100,000 tons by 2023, which is enough to manufacture about 1.1 million electric vehicles equipped with 60 kWh battery packs.

POSCO Chemical also said it plans to set up plants in China and Europe to timely supply cathodes to EV battery makers.

The EV battery market has been on a roll as automakers around the world race to go electric and eco-friendly due to tightened regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists say are to blame for global warming.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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