SK On, the battery unit of South Korea’s SK Innovation has started a battery diagnosis service based on the development of a technology that allows drivers to self-check the battery status of their electric vehicles.
The battery diagnosis service measures the changes in battery in every use setting in which the EV operates and charges. The collected data is examined using SK On’ self-developed “BaaS AI” (Battery as a Service Artificial Intelligence). It informs users of the battery’s longevity, abnormalities, driving habits, risky situations, driving habits that will help extend the battery’s lifespan, and so on.
SK On has cooperated with Soft Berry Inc. to launch the first EV battery monitoring pilot service in Korea. Soft Berry Inc. is among companies selected for the “EGG”, an eco-friendly startup fostering program supported by SK Innovation in September of this year. The company is operating “EV Infra”, an application that provides payment services and information of most charging stations in the country. It has already secured 200,000 subscribers, which is the largest scale in Korea.
SK On gathered participants for the pilot battery diagnosis service targeting EV Infra users. Selected customers can use this service through a specialized menu in the EV Infra application. They can receive monthly scores on driving habits that can affect their vehicle battery through SK On’s battery diagnosis service, and also suggestions for managing the battery’s lifespan. In addition, users can check whether their vehicle battery life is in the relatively top percentage.
After six months (started from May this year) of analyzing the EV charging patterns of EV Infra’s users and conducting market research such as surveys, SK On and Soft Berry Inc. have successfully developed this BaaS (Battery as a Service) that can be used by general customers.
Before this collaboration, in April, SK On partnered with SK Car Rental to develop a battery monitoring device that was used to collect and analyze data from actual rental EVs. Based on this, the EV battery diagnosis service for was developed, and the launching of this service now allows more customers to access it.
This pilot project will allow SK On to add more BaaS models in the future.
“We anticipate that our collaboration with SK On will not only give users advanced services but also a good chance for us to expand our services,” said Park Yong-hee, CEO of Soft Berry Inc.
Sohn Hawk, SK On’s Head of E-mobility Office emphasized, “We will offer personalized battery diagnosis service by using the accumulated data and analysis competencies in the process of researching and producing safe and excellent batteries, contributing to the expansion of BaaS ecosystem by cooperating with domestic and overseas partners.”
