(Green Car Reports) – Hyundai and battery provider SK On are partnering to fulfill the brand new battery sourcing necessities of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The act continues the $7,500 federal Electric Vehicle tax credit score, however to qualify for the complete quantity, it stipulates that EVs and their battery packs have to be assembled in North America, and sure minerals utilized in batteries have to be sourced both domestically or from nations with a free commerce settlement with the U.S.
Hyundai and SK On have signed a memorandum of understanding for battery provide to Hyundai’s U.S. factories after 2025, with additional particulars to be disclosed at a later date, SK On mentioned in a press launch. That may assist tackle the home meeting portion of the necessities. SK On is the brand new title for the battery enterprise spun off of SK Innovation in October of final 12 months.
For the minerals sourcing part, SK mentioned it just lately signed lithium buy contracts with suppliers in nations which have free commerce agreements with the U.S., together with Australia and Chile.
This confirms earlier stories that the electrical car tax credit score guidelines and supplies sourcing necessities may accelerate Hyundai’s timeline for U.S.-built EVs.
Hyundai introduced its U.S. electrical car plant—with a corresponding battery enterprise—earlier this 12 months. The $5.5 billion plant might be situated close to Savannah, Georgia, and can goal a producing capability of 300,000 automobiles per 12 months. In October, Hyundai confirmed that Kia electrical automobiles will even be made on the Georgia “Metaplant.” Electrical automobiles for the automaker’s Genesis luxurious model might be made there as properly.
SK already provides batteries for electrical automobiles based mostly on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, together with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 and the Kia EV6.
The IRA’s battery-sourcing necessities have been met with criticism from the auto business and a few members of Congress. A bill seeks the delay of electric vehicle tax credit American sourcing rules, but it surely seems to be stalled.
