Hyundai Motor Group boosts India EV research with 39 projects: Details

As competition increases in India’s electric vehicle sector, global carmakers are now focusing beyond just launching new EVs. The next big battle is moving towards battery technology, localization and India-specific research. In line with this, Hyundai Motor Group has announced a major expansion of its EV research network in India.The company has expanded its Hyundai Center of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) initiative into a larger pan-India academic and industrial collaboration focused on battery and electrification technologies. With the latest expansion, the research platform now comprises seven institutions and is currently working on 39 joint research projects across the country.As part of the expansion, Hyundai Motor Group has signed agreements with four new institutes: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur and Tezpur University. These join the three original partners by launch 2025, namely Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.According to the company, the initiative aims to accelerate the development of EV technologies specifically tailored for Indian conditions. Focus areas include battery cells, battery management systems, energy density, safety, durability and diagnostic technologies.Hyundai says the platform is already leading to 39 research projects through the CoE network. Some of the ongoing work includes the development of AI-powered vehicle-to-grid (V2G) platforms as well as battery material and design research adapted to Indian requirements.The company first launched the Hyundai CoE initiative in 2025 as part of a larger strategy to build stronger industry-academia partnerships in India. Apart from research, the initiative will also include knowledge-sharing programs between India and South Korea. Hyundai is planning to launch a Korea Visiting Program that will allow Indian and Korean researchers to collaborate and exchange expertise related to EV technologies and electrification.The company also plans to organize global e-conferences and technology forums involving experts from government bodies, academia and the automotive industry. These discussions will focus on emerging EV technologies and collaborative research opportunities.