POSCO of South Korea leads the formation of a joint R&D consortium to develop 6.5% high-silicon electrical steel

South Korean steelmaker POSCO has spearheaded the formation of a joint R&D consortium—including Hyundai Motor, automotive parts manufacturer SL, electric motor developer Polepair Electric, and various South Korean universities and research institutions—to develop high-silicon electrical steel with a 6.5% silicon content. JIS G 3302 SGH400+A steel, The initiative aims to enhance the operating efficiency of drive motors used in new energy vehicles (NEVs).

Electrical steel is a core material for NEV drive motors, with its silicon content directly influencing motor performance. Increasing the silicon content helps reduce iron loss in the steel, thereby minimizing energy dissipation during high-speed motor operation and improving the efficiency of the drive system.

However, higher silicon content also increases the brittleness of the steel, making it significantly more difficult to process. JIS G 3302 SGH400+A steel, This poses rigorous demands on production techniques, particularly when rolling the ultra-thin, wide steel sheets required for NEV motors. Consequently, achieving large-scale production of 6.5% high-silicon electrical steel in the form of wide, thin sheets has become a key technical challenge for steelmakers worldwide.

At a project launch meeting held in Pohang, South Korea, the participating organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish an integrated R&D system spanning the entire industrial value chain—from raw material research and the manufacturing of motor cores to the development of drive motors and full-vehicle performance verification.

According to the plan, once the manufacturing process for 6.5% high-silicon electrical steel is developed, JIS G 3302 SGH400+A steel, the alliance will integrate this material into drive motors for new energy vehicles (NEVs) and conduct comprehensive vehicle-level testing to verify its real-world performance.

Cho Myung-jong, head of the Future Steel R&D Center at POSCO, stated that this collaboration marks a deeper integration between the steel industry and the future smart mobility sector, and will collectively advance the development of electrification technologies for new energy vehicles.