SK Innovation and German automotive parts supplier Continental have teamed up to develop batteries for electric vehicles through a joint venture scheduled to begin within the year in Berlin, Korean company officials said Tuesday.

Under an agreement signed on Monday at Continental’s headquarters in Frankfurt, the two companies agreed to invest a combined 270 million euros ($330 million) into the joint venture in the coming five years.

SK Innovation, a flagship unit of SK Group, will hold a 51 percent stake of the jointly managed firm, providing its technology in the development of battery cells. Continental, with the remaining 49 percent stake, will offer battery management systems for vehicles.

<YONHAP PHOTO-0433> SK, 독일서 글로벌 전기차 배터리 시장 공략 (서울=연합뉴스) SK는 23일(현지시간) 독일 프랑크푸르트에 위치한 콘티넨탈(Continental)社 본사에서 SK 최재원 수석부회장, SK이노베이션 구자영 사장, 엘마 데겐하트(Elmar Degenhart) 콘티넨탈社 회장 등 관계자 50여명이 참석한 가운데 전기차 배터리 공동개발을 위한 합작법인 설립 계약을 체결했다고 밝혔다. 왼쪽부터 로버트 리(SK-콘티넨탈 합작법인 사장), 스티븐 Kim (SK이노베이션 배터리사업본부장), 최재원 (SK그룹 수석부회장), 구자영(SK이노베이션 사장, 엘마 데겐하트(콘티넨탈 회장), 호세 아빌라(콘티넨탈 이사), 마르쿠스 하이네만(SK-콘티넨탈 CFO). 2012.7.24 photo@yna.co.kr/2012-07-24 07:51:27/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> SK Group executive vice chairman Chey Jae-won (third from left), SK Innovation CEO Koo Ja-young (center) and Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart (third from right) pose after signing an agreement at Continental’s headquarters in Frankfurt on Monday. SK Group
SK, 독일서 글로벌 전기차 배터리 시장 공략 (서울=연합뉴스) SK는 23일(현지시간) 독일 프랑크푸르트에 위치한 콘티넨탈(Continental)社 본사에서 SK 최재원 수석부회장, SK이노베이션 구자영 사장, 엘마 데겐하트(Elmar Degenhart) 콘티넨탈社 회장 등 관계자 50여명이 참석한 가운데 전기차 배터리 공동개발을 위한 합작법인 설립 계약을 체결했다고 밝혔다. 왼쪽부터 로버트 리(SK-콘티넨탈 합작법인 사장), 스티븐 Kim (SK이노베이션 배터리사업본부장), 최재원 (SK그룹 수석부회장), 구자영(SK이노베이션 사장, 엘마 데겐하트(콘티넨탈 회장), 호세 아빌라(콘티넨탈 이사), 마르쿠스 하이네만(SK-콘티넨탈 CFO). 2012.7.24 photo@yna.co.kr/2012-07-24 07:51:27/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> SK Group executive vice chairman Chey Jae-won (third from left), SK Innovation CEO Koo Ja-young (center) and Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart (third from right) pose after signing an agreement at Continental’s headquarters in Frankfurt on Monday. SK Group

SK Group executive vice chairman Chey Jae-won (third from left), SK Innovation CEO Koo Ja-young (center) and Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart (third from right) pose after signing an agreement at Continental’s headquarters in Frankfurt on Monday. (SK Group)

According to SK officials, it is a rare case for a battery manufacturer for electric vehicles to join hands with an automotive parts supplier, not carmakers.

The two companies, which have already worked with global carmakers like Hyundai Motor and Daimler, expect synergy through the new joint venture in securing more business clients in the field of environment-friendly cars.

Along with creating the joint venture firm, they also agreed on Monday to operate two research centers in Berlin and Daejeon, some 160 kilometers south of Seoul, for local production and marketing activities, officials said.

The signing ceremony was attended by some 50 company officials, including SK Group executive vice chairman Chey Jae-won, SK Innovation CEO Koo Ja-young and Continental CEO Elmar Degenhart.

“Through the new joint venture, SK will step up efforts to expand presence in the global electric car market,” said an SK Group spokesperson.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldm.com)


koreaherald@heraldcorp.com