Partnership with Dong-A Elecom to accelerate eco-friendly mobility push for both groups

Kim Dae-geun (left), CEO of LS E-Link, and Guk Chan-ho, CEO of Dong-A Elecom, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony. [Provided by LS]
Kim Dae-geun (left), CEO of LS E-Link, and Guk Chan-ho, CEO of Dong-A Elecom, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony. [Provided by LS]

LS E-Link, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure subsidiary of LS Group, signed an MOU with power systems specialist Dong-A Elecom on Wednesday to jointly build electric bus charging infrastructure and expand the charging market, the company announced Thursday.

The partnership follows a broader MOU that LS Group and LIG Group signed in March last year to share core capabilities and resources across defense, power, energy and telecommunications. The tie-up between LS E-Link and Dong-A Elecom — which LIG Group acquired last year — is expected to sharpen both groups' push into the eco-friendly mobility infrastructure market.

The agreement is designed to combine LS E-Link's infrastructure construction and operations expertise with Dong-A Elecom's five decades of power conversion technology. The two companies plan to jointly build stable, high-output charging infrastructure centered on bus depots and to identify next-generation charging models for large-scale mobility.

Specific areas of cooperation include building electric bus charging infrastructure for transport operators nationwide, expanding the supply of 240-kilowatt high-output charging solutions, collaborating on charging infrastructure operations, control and maintenance, and jointly developing next-generation charging models for large mobility vehicles.

The 240-kilowatt dispenser-type charger the two companies plan to roll out separates the power distribution unit from the charging nozzle, allowing efficient use of space in tight bus depots. The system incorporates dust-blocking and thermal management design to ensure reliable performance in harsh depot environments.

"As the electric commercial vehicle market grows rapidly, securing stable power supply and quality in charging infrastructure has become a critical challenge," said Kim Dae-geun, CEO of LS E-Link. "Through this partnership, we will create synergies with Dong-A Elecom — a company with outstanding charging technology — and deliver a higher level of eco-friendly charging service to our customers."

Guk Chan-ho, CEO of Dong-A Elecom, said the MOU marks "a starting point for Dong-A Elecom to enter the market alongside LS E-Link, the leader in commercial vehicle charging." He added that the company would "build a sustainable future of shared growth by supplying differentiated technology and high-quality chargers to expand eco-friendly charging infrastructure."

LS E-Link is South Korea's largest commercial vehicle charging operator, having secured a fleet customer base of more than 5,000 buses and taxis through long-term contracts with major transport operators nationwide.


yeongdai@heraldcorp.com