Posco International aims to produce 10,000 tons of fuel cell separators by 2027

Posco International aims to increase the production of fuel cell separators for electric vehicles to 10,000 tons by 2027, the company said Monday.

The firm, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Posco SPS (Steel Processing & Service), currently produces 1,400 tons of Poss470FC, the stainless separator essential in utilizing hydrogen as an energy source for fuel cell EVs. The current volume covers around 35,000 FCEVs.

Poss470FC boasts a thinness of 0.1 millimeters, and it is produced in an “environmentally-friendly” way in the plating process, the company stressed.

The product is not just for cars, the POSCO Group company continued. It can be used for fuel cell-powered drones, robots and UAMs, the company said.

The move comes as the parent POSCO Group, rooted in the iron and steel industry, accelerates its foray into future mobility, launching a steel auto parts brand Autopos.

Posco Group’s Technical Research Laboratories started research for the steel separator in 2006 and was able to develop and produce the ultra-high corrosion-resistant material Poss470FC in 2018.

Posco SPS is also producing automotive motor cores, which are used to generate electricity within a motor.

Citing a report from McKinsey & Company, Posco stressed the importance of its auto parts. According to the report, the value of the global hydrogen economy is anticipated to reach 2,940 trillion won ($2.6 trillion) in 2050 and the number of FCEV passenger cars will reach 400 million, and 20 million for trucks and buses.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)