Posco to boost bipolar plate manufacturing capacity

Posco Steel Processing & Service's thin stainless steel Poss470FC, which is a core component of fuel cell electric vehicles. [POSCO INTERNATIONAL]

Posco International said Monday Posco Steel Processing & Service (SPS) will increase production capacity for bipolar plates used in fuel cell electric vehicles, as part of efforts to expand its presence in the electric vehicle component market.

Posco SPS, wholly owned by Posco International, will increase its yearly production capacity of Poss470FC to 10,000 tons by 2027, which is enough to manufacture some 250,000 fuel cell electric vehicles. Its current capacity is about 1,400 tons.

Poss470FC is a stainless steel used for the core components of fuel cell stacks. The bipolar separator provides a channel for oxygen and air, connects electricity created in each cell and provides mechanical support.

The separator boasts a thickness of just 0.1 millimeters (0.04 inches) and features excellent corrosion resistance, conductivity and lower manufacturing cost, according to the company.

Poss470FC is currently used for not only fuel cell electric vehicles but also for hydrogen fuel cell-powered drones. The company said it expects to expand the usage of the separators to the mobility industry, including robots and the urban air mobility sector, in the future.

Posco SPS first started manufacturing Poss470FC in 2018.

Posco International also said it will spare no efforts in order to increase its production capacity of Poss470FC following the fast-growing environment-friendly market.

“As more fuel cell electric vehicles are expected to be introduced in the future, we anticipate a surge in demand for Poss470FC,” said Jung Hae-ik, head of stainless steel business sector at Posco SPS. “With Posco SPS’s exclusive technical ability to produce precision rolled products, we will exert all the efforts to make a strong presence in fuel cell electric vehicle component market.”

BY CHEA SARAH [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]