Hyundai Motor Group expands Pan-India Hyundai CoE network to power India’s EV future

Hyundai Motor Group has expanded its Hyundai Center of Excellence (Hyundai CoE) initiative into a truly pan-India academic–industry network, deepening its focus on advanced battery and electrification research for the country’s fast-evolving EV landscape. The group has now brought seven leading universities under a single collaborative umbrella, positioning India as a key innovation hub for next-generation electric mobility solutions.

Building on the CoE’s 2025 launch, Hyundai is scaling up both the breadth and depth of its research engagements, with 39 active joint projects already in motion across partner institutions. From core cell chemistry to smarter battery management and diagnostic technologies.

Seven-University EV Research Consortium

At the heart of this expansion is Hyundai CoE’s transformation into a seven-university consortium, now described as India’s premier academic–industrial network for battery and electrification research. Four new institutions have joined the platform: IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur, and Tezpur University.

These universities join the founding partners from 2025—IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay—creating a geographically diverse and academically powerful alliance that stretches across key regions of India. Together, they are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping solutions tuned to Indian operating conditions, consumer needs, and policy priorities.

Senior Leadership Backs Expansion

​The formal agreement ceremony in New Delhi underlined how strategically important this program is for Hyundai Motor Group. Senior leaders, including Chang Hwan Kim, Head of the Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit and Hyundai CoE Co-Chair; Tarun Garg, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India; and other top R&D and engineering heads were present.

They were joined by advisor Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha and a high-profile lineup of deans and senior representatives from all partner institutions, signalling a long-term, boardroom-level commitment to India-focused electrification research. The group frames Hyundai CoE as a central pillar of its industry-academia collaboration strategy in the country.

Focus Areas: Batteries, Safety, and Grid Integration

Hyundai initiated a dedicated investment program in 2025 to fuel research activities across the Hyundai CoE universities, with workstreams spanning the entire EV battery value chain. Key themes include battery cell development, battery management systems (BMS), energy density optimization, safety, durability, and advanced diagnostic technologies.

Among the 39 active joint projects are initiatives on battery design and material research tailored to Indian usage patterns and climate, as well as the development of an AI-powered vehicle-to-grid (V2G) platform. Such projects aim not only to improve vehicle performance but also to integrate EVs more intelligently with the broader energy ecosystem.

Global Knowledge Exchange Programmes

To ensure ideas flow both ways between India and Korea, Hyundai Motor Group is launching a Korea Visiting Program for researchers within the CoE network. This academic exchange will allow Indian faculty and scholars to collaborate closely with Korean experts on EV technologies and share best practices across labs and testbeds.

The group is also planning a global e‑conference that will bring together leading academics and specialists to discuss emerging technologies, complemented by a series of tech forums involving government, industry, and academia. These platforms are designed to convert cutting-edge research into real-world mobility solutions faster and more collaboratively.

Long-term vision: From CoE to EV Hub

​In the long run, Hyundai Motor Group envisions evolving Hyundai CoE from a network of research centers into a comprehensive research hub supporting India’s EV transition end‑to‑end. By continuously strengthening links with IITs and other institutions, the initiative aims to generate actionable research findings, technology roadmaps, and strategic insights for the Indian market.

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​Ultimately, the group sees this pan-India network as a catalyst for a vibrant, self-sustaining EV research ecosystem. By combining India’s academic strength with Hyundai’s global electrification expertise, the Hyundai CoE intends to deliver innovative EV solutions that accelerate the country’s electrification journey while creating lasting value for the wider automotive industry.