Kim In-bae, vice chairman and general manager of BorgWarner, noted, "We are implementing the electrification strategy that we have been pursuing for several years without any setbacks," adding, "Though we haven't been in the electric vehicle parts business for long, we are already seeing significant results based on our accumulated technology and networks." Kim oversees the institutional sector of drive systems and MOS systems for BorgWarner in Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
Meeting with Kim at the '2025 Seoul Mobility Show' held on the 3rd in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, he said, "Out of last year's total revenue of $14 billion (about 20 trillion won), the revenue from the electrification sector, including electric vehicle parts, amounted to $2.3 billion (about 3 trillion won), making up approximately 16%. We plan to increase that ratio to nearly 45% by 2030."
BorgWarner is an American automotive parts company headquartered in Michigan. It operates over 90 manufacturing plants and research centers in more than 20 countries worldwide. It first entered Korea in 1988 and supplies products to major automobile corporations, including Hyundai Motor Company and Kia. BorgWarner's full range of business divisions is present only in Korea, the United States, and China.
Kim stated, "The ability of our electrification business to grow even during the chasm in electric vehicle demand is thanks to our portfolio that encompasses internal combustion engines, hybrids, and electric vehicles," adding, "Electrification doesn't happen overnight by suddenly switching from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles; it is a process of gradually evolving and developing existing technologies, capabilities, and experiences through internal combustion engines, hybrids, and electric vehicles."
BorgWarner is steadily expanding its electrification business, using hybrid vehicles as a bridge between internal combustion engines and electric vehicles. Its key products include the integrated drive module (iDM), which combines electric motors, transmissions, and inverters, as well as battery packs, battery thermal management, and charging systems. Essentially, it covers most areas that make up and drive electric vehicles.
Kim mentioned, "The first collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group in the electrification sector was the iDM," noting, "It has initially been applied to the small Casper and RAY EV (electric vehicle), and since it is regarded as a successful development case internally, there is a possibility it could expand to other vehicle classes. If the customer wants, we are prepared to adapt to any vehicle from small to large and high-end models."
Some BorgWarner parts, including inverters, are planned to be included in the purpose-built vehicle (PBV) PV5, which Kia introduced domestically for the first time on the 3rd, with production scheduled to begin in July. While the iDM applied to the Casper and RAY EV was developed using BorgWarner's proprietary technology from the design stage, the components for PV5 were manufactured according to Kia's design and requirements.
BorgWarner is also focused on developing battery packs and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs). The company has partnered with FinDreams, a subsidiary of China's BYD, to target markets outside of China. BorgWarner will produce battery packs that utilize blade cells manufactured by FinDreams. BorgWarner is the only partner supplying FinDreams blade cells in local production forms outside of China.
Kim said, "The EREV that Hyundai is independently considering for development is a field where BorgWarner's competitiveness can stand out in terms of size and expense," adding, "An EREV incorporates a small engine that acts as a generator to assist with battery charging, effectively extending the driving range up to 900 to 1,000 km when fully charged."