The long-awaited publication on net-zero that I have been working with National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) has now been published. Click the right for the PDF of the report. This policy report is an outcome of the expert panel held at the NBR HQ in Seattle on June 14, 2022 (read below for further details on the panel).
- June Park. “Geoeconomics and Politics in Lawsuits on EV Batteries”. A Path to Net Zero: Opportunities for U.S.-ROK Technology Collaboration, NBR Special Report No.101, The National Bureau of Asian Research. September 27, 2022.
This report combines the analysis of the LG vs. SK lawsuit at the USITC and reflections on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which embodies protectionist clauses regarding the EV industry.
Since the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed by the U.S. Congress that would allow subsidies only for EVs that are produced in the U.S. territory, there are now actions by the EU, South Korea, and Japan to remedy the pressures on their EV industries arising from the IRA (the subsidies named as ‘Clean Vehicle Credit’ will be endowed for new EV purchases up to $7,500.00, which will essentially give first-mover advantage only to EV producers that already have factory installations in America).
On the Expert Panel
On June 14, 2022, I spoke at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) Headquarters in Seattle, WA on EV batteries as a case study on U.S.-ROK tech cooperation. It was the first to return to in-person conference setting for NBR after almost two years, and it was an honor to speak alongside Professor Kyung-jin Boo of Seoul National University, given his expertise on hydrogen energy.
Several South Korean companies have set up their factories in the U.S. or created joint ventures (JVs) with U.S. automakers with the aim to deliver their EV batteries to the U.S. market, in an effort to compete with China’s CATL. However, citing the case of LG Energy Solutions vs. SK On at the USITC from 2019 to 2021 in my remarks, I note that this is partnership or cooperation at best, and that we should brace for further legal issues concerning patents that arise from EV batteries and EVs themselvesas the transition to electric cars is accelerated.
The video of the panel is available below for those interested.
