Webasto assembles batteries and sunroofs for the Kia EV3
Webasto supplies two battery versions for the EV3 – the familiar batteries with 58.3 and 81.4 kilowatt hours gross. Both batteries work with NMC811 chemistry and contain pouch cells from the South Korean manufacturer LG Energy Solution. Webasto is responsible for assembling the cells into packs within the value chain. The two batteries can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent with 101 kW or 128 kW, which should take around half an hour in both cases, according to the data sheet. According to Kia, the range is up to 605 km according to WLTP for the long-range version. You can read how the EV3 with a large battery performed in our winter driving test.
The Kia EV3 is also available with an optional roof system from Webasto. A large, movable glass pane not only allows plenty of light into the interior, but the roof can also be opened. According to the German supplier, both components are produced in South Korea: the roof at the Ulsan plant and the battery in Dangjin. In the latter plant, Webasto now produces “up to 1,000 battery packs a day for various electric vehicles of the Hyundai-Kia Group […].” The opening of the Dangjin plant in 2022 is a milestone in the development of the company’s own electric mobility business, the company writes.
“The Kia EV3 is not only confirmation that Webasto meets the highest technical requirements, but also an excellent example of our deep understanding of vehicle architecture,” affirms Webasto CTO Marcel Bartling. “Both the roof and the battery are essential components of a vehicle that have a significant influence on its shape and interior comfort. These components make a decisive contribution to the overall quality and driving experience.”
Webasto had already expanded its production facility for battery packs in Dangjin, South Korea, in 2024, two years after it opened. As a result, the company will be able to produce a total of 300,000 battery packs for electric vehicles there every year from this year onwards. The battery packs will be delivered to customers in South Korea. As is known, the construction and opening of the Korean plant in 2022 was based on a comprehensive order from Hyundai-Kia for the supply of battery systems for several fully electric volume passenger car models. The site was modelled on the battery production facility in Schierling, Germany, which was launched in 2019.
Webasto Korea, which was founded in 1987 with a local joint venture partner, has its roots in the construction of sunroofs. Alongside parking heaters and battery solutions, these are among the supplier’s main products. However, Webasto withdrew from its business with charging solutions for electric cars in 2024. After a long search for a partner, the Group sold the majority of the division to the private equity company Transom Capital Group.
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