September 1, 2026 Hyundai reveals battery cells that cut charging time by 40%. The announcement forms part of a broader electrification strategy that Hyundai laid out at the event.Image: Hyundai. Hyundai Motor Company has revealed in-house developed battery cells that deliver more than double the output of the high-nickel cells it previously used, while cutting charging time by 40%, as part of its 2026 CEO Investor Day held in Seoul, South Korea. The announcement forms part of a broader electrification strategy that Hyundai laid out at the event, alongside targets of 5.55 million global vehicle sales by 2030 and an operating profit margin above 9%. The new cells will first be applied to the company's Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) models, which are expected to arrive in the first half of 2027. Hyundai said these models will use less than half the battery capacity of a comparable full-electric vehicle while delivering equivalent battery performance and EV driving dynamics. Separately, EV models launching in 2027 will use mid-nickel NCM cells, which Hyundai said reduce battery cost by around 30% while maintaining performance under real-world driving conditions. Alongside the new cell chemistry, Hyundai detailed a cloud-based battery management system (BMS) upgrade intended to extend battery life by an average of 20% by 2028, and a new safety technology called Thermal Runaway Protection (TRP), which blocks the transfer of heat between adjacent cells in the event of a battery fire using a dissipation-focused battery system and a barrier structure between cells. Hyundai said existing industry approaches could only delay heat transfer for a period, whereas TRP is designed to block it at the source regardless of battery type. The company said it has verified TRP through more than 200 repeated tests on prismatic and pouch NCM batteries, with the technology debuting on the Genesis GV90. Faster charging has been a consistent theme across Hyundai's recent technology announcements beyond the new cells themselves. In June, Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) completed the country's first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) discharge using the ISO 15118-20 communication standard, pairing an IONIQ 9 with StarCharge's Halo bidirectional DC charger. HMCA chief executive Don Romano said at the time that getting the standard right was essential because V2G would only scale in Australia if consumers, energy providers and governments could trust the technology, positioning that trial as groundwork for the kind of bidirectional, software-managed charging Hyundai is now building into its wider vehicle lineup. That direction extends to smart charging more broadly. In August, Hyundai Motor Group partnered with energy intelligence platform Kaluza to co-develop smart charging capabilities integrated into the myHyundai and Kia apps, with the UK the first market for deployment, followed by Australia. Kaluza chief executive Stephen Fitzpatrick described the partnership as laying the foundation for V2G services planned from 2027, designed to let vehicles charge automatically when renewable energy generation is high and prices are low. The 40% charging-speed improvement Hyundai has claimed for its new cells stands against a backdrop of growing industry attention to how well batteries actually perform once vehicles reach the used market. Independent testing by UK diagnostics firm Generational recently found that around 1 in 85 used EVs carries a hidden cell-level imbalance not visible through standard State of Health (SoH) reporting, a fault that can affect range, charging behaviour and long-term value without triggering any dashboard warning. Hyundai's cloud-based BMS upgrade, designed to detect early signs of cell abnormality in real time, addresses a risk category similar to the one Generational's testing identified, though on newer vehicles rather than the used fleet covered by Generational's dataset. Hyundai's own account of its battery strategy traces back through its independently developed hybrid systems and its global Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which underpins the IONIQ 9 used in the Australian V2G trial.

Hyundai partners with Kaluza to bring smart EV charging to Kia and Hyundai apps. Hyundai Motor Group is partnering with energy intelligence company Kaluza to develop smart charging technology for its electric vehicles, creating a more seamless connection between EVs and the energy grid. The global technology partnership is scheduled to begin rolling out in August 2026, initially covering Kia and Hyundai EVs in the UK before expanding to Australia. The technology will be integrated directly into the Kia App and myHyundai App, allowing drivers to manage smart charging without relying on a separate energy app. The partnership is designed to make EV charging more convenient while helping drivers reduce both charging costs and carbon emissions. Instead of manually choosing when an EV should charge, the integrated system can automatically schedule charging for periods when electricity is cheaper and cleaner. Drivers can set when their vehicle needs to be ready, while the software handles the timing in the background. The UK rollout will initially include OVO as the first energy retailer to provide smart charging through the Kia App. Kia owners who use OVO will therefore be able to manage their vehicle and charging in one place. Drivers currently using the OVO Charge app are expected to transition to the Kia App in early autumn, with Hyundai drivers expected to gain access shortly afterward. Discover more Rent Luxury Handbags Hyundai Motor Group says the partnership goes beyond a conventional app integration. The companies are working together on the underlying technology that will allow EVs to interact more intelligently with energy networks. Woong Tae Hwang, Vice President and Head of EV Energy Strategy Group at Hyundai Motor Group, said the company chose Kaluza because of its expertise in energy intelligence and its ability to work on advanced EV-energy integration. The technology could eventually allow EVs to become an active part of the electricity system rather than simply consuming electricity. Kaluza's platform is being embedded directly into the automakers' digital ecosystems, giving drivers control over charging from their smartphones while allowing the system to respond to electricity prices, renewable energy availability and grid conditions. One of the most important developments enabled by the partnership is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Hyundai Motor Group and Kaluza are laying the groundwork for V2G services expected to begin in 2027. Unlike conventional smart charging, V2G allows compatible EVs to send stored electricity back to the grid when needed. Discover more Renault 5 E-Tech electric Compare Electric Cars Renault 5 E-Tech Electric That could create another potential source of value for EV owners. Vehicles could charge when electricity is abundant and inexpensive, then potentially supply energy back to the grid during periods of higher demand. The technology could also help make better use of renewable energy. When solar or wind generation is high, EVs can provide a flexible source of electricity demand by charging at times when cleaner energy is more readily available. For drivers, the biggest advantage is convenience. Rather than monitoring electricity prices or renewable-energy production, the smart charging platform can automate those decisions. A driver can specify when the car needs to be ready, while the system determines an appropriate charging schedule based on available energy and cost. The approach could become increasingly important as EV adoption grows. Millions of electric vehicles connected to the grid represent a significant source of flexible energy demand, particularly when charging can be coordinated automatically. OVO's Director of EV, Alex Thwaites, said the goal is for drivers to charge at cheaper and greener times without having to actively manage the process. The Kaluza partnership represents a broader shift in how automakers are approaching EV ownership. Charging is increasingly becoming part of the vehicle's connected digital ecosystem rather than a separate service handled entirely by charging networks or energy providers. By integrating smart charging directly into the Kia and Hyundai apps, Hyundai Motor Group can give EV owners a single interface for vehicle and energy-related functions. The initial rollout in the UK and Australia will provide a foundation for expanding the technology to additional markets and services. The planned introduction of V2G capabilities from 2027 could take that integration further, turning compatible EVs into flexible energy assets. As electric vehicle adoption continues to increase, partnerships between automakers, energy companies and technology providers are likely to play a growing role in determining how EVs interact with the electricity grid. For Kia and Hyundai drivers, the first step will be simpler: letting the car automatically charge at the right time, rather than making the driver decide when to plug in.