South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor said Sunday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with safety standards company UL to strengthen the safety of its second life battery energy storage system, also known as SLBESS.

The move will see both companies work together in adopting the UL Signature Solution to strengthen credibility, jointly developing exclusive UL evaluation standards, as well as collaborate in “multiple aspects” for demonstration projects in North America.

The collaboration agreement was signed on Friday with senior officials present at the ceremony, including Chi Young-cho, president and chief innovation officer of Hyundai Motor Group.

The automaker explained the UL Signature Solution will scrutinize the storage system’s safety from early stages of development.

While the new evaluation standards will raise safety to a global level by looking into SLBESS technology as well as modules and packs of electric vehicle batteries, the company also expects to cut down time spent in the safety certification process.

“We expect to maximize safety of SLBESS through this strategic partnership with a global safety certification company,” said Chi.

The International Energy Agency estimates the global number of electric vehicles to hit 145 million by 2030.