BorgWarner: ‘We're ready for any powertrain — and Korea is key'

Korea Herald

19-05-2025

US-headquartered auto parts maker highlights resilient tech portfolio spanning combustion engines, EVs, and hybrids
BorgWarner, a global automotive parts supplier headquartered in the United States, is working to further expand its presence in Korea based on its resilient portfolio.
'We have the ambition to do a lot of business in Korea, and that's one of the reasons we are here,' Pierre Boitard, vice president at BorgWarner responsible for overseeing the business and operations of turbos and thermal technologies in Asia, told The Korea Herald in Seoul on Thursday.
BorgWarner currently operates eight plants and one research and development center in Korea.
'We've been basically showcasing all our current products and innovations that we are bringing, like our new battery systems but also our integrated generator system,' said Helmut Forster, vice president at BorgWarner responsible for all sales activities of the auto parts maker's turbos and thermal technologies, in the same interview.
BorgWarner showcased its latest electric vehicle-related developments, such as lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, batteries, next-generation inverters and high-voltage coolant heaters, at the Seoul Mobility Show in March this year.
'If we're able to find customers here for local needs, then it makes absolutely sense also to localize those products to bring those products into Korea as a local production, then we're talking about expansion,' said Forster.
The BorgWarner executives noted that they recently celebrated a big business win in Korea without disclosing any details about the secured order. The client list of the auto parts supplier includes Hyundai Motor, Kia and KG Mobility.
Asked how the US government's tariff policies would impact BorgWarner's business efforts, Boitard pointed out that BorgWarner's global footprint and the way its supply chains are organized allow the company to adapt to different circumstances.
'(The automotive) industry is very much about addressing local markets,' said Boitard.
'If you were to centralize everything in one place, and if ties are being cut, then it's becoming a problem, but that is not how we operate. We have plants in every location where we are needed, and we organize our supply chain in the most efficient way to make sure that we are able to supply our customers where they are.'
As automakers across the globe are shifting towards electric vehicles, BorgWarner has been speeding up the development of EV-related auto parts as the company set a goal for its EV sales to account for 45 percent of total revenue by 2030. BorgWarner posted $14.1 billion in sales in 2024, with EV and hybrid-related products taking up approximately 16.6 percent.
'We are really having a very resilient portfolio because we haven't given up on our combustion portfolio,' said Forster.
'If combustion stays longer, we're good. If (battery electric vehicles) accelerates, we have it. And if hybrids are in between, stay till 2035 or 2040, we're good. So we're able to adapt. We have a very resilient product portfolio within our global presence. …Whatever powertrain, we have a solution anywhere in the world. So when things move one way or another, we can shift gears because we have everything already available.'
As for the Korean auto market being uniquely dominated by one auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group and its three brands of Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis, Forster said it is challenging but drives BorgWarner forward to deliver the best products.
'We have to deliver top-notch performance here, otherwise this wouldn't work,' said Forster.
'So we have special development programs running for projects in Korea. Some of my global teams are working specifically for this market or for the specific requirements. So it is challenging. There is a drive towards technology here and really pushing the limits and we need to support that.'