Though the EV market has somewhat stalled out as of late – at least, it isn’t growing quite as quickly as expected – SK Innovation’s dedicated EV battery unit and Ford joint-venture partner SK On continues to forge ahead with the expectations that it will hit the break even point next year. In the meantime, SK On continues to work to secure the raw materials it needs to ramp up battery production and drive down costs, and now, the company has also joined a lobby group that Ford is rather familiar with.
That lobby group is the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), which Ford has been a member of for some time now, along with many other automakers and suppliers. “Successfully navigating the significant changes underway in the auto industry requires bold leadership and collaboration across the industry,” said David Hahm, head of North America public affairs for SK On. “SK On will partner with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and its members to drive advancements in technology and innovation, reinforcing U.S. global competitiveness and leadership in the evolving automotive sector.”
“Alliance for Automotive Innovation welcomes SK On to our association,” added John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation. “This is a company that is not just powering the transformation to automotive electrification in the United States through breakthrough battery technology but investing billions in the American industrial base and creating thousands of new jobs.”
SK On currently operates two EV battery plants in Commerce, Georgia, with additional sites under construction in Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky through joint ventures with Ford and other companies. As for AAI, it’s been at the forefront of several hot button topics in the automotive industry as of late – urging the Biden Administration to revise its proposed rules aimed at increasing the EV sales mix dramatically over the next few years, backing the same administration’s proposed Chinese EV tariffs, and calling for a significant expansion of the existing EV charging infrastructure.
Comments
How come the automotive press doesn’t described the gas-only market as “stalled out”? EV sales keep rising, and half-assed EV “electrified” vehicles suck sales from gassers.
EVs account for about 8% of the total sales in the USA. I wouldn’t get too excited (yet).