[Photo News] MLB on Hyundai wheels

Hyundai Motor Group is supporting the Major League Baseball Seoul Series this week, the first MLB games to take place in South Korea, with an array of vehicles. According to the automaker on Tuesday, a total of 18 vehicles including six hydrogen-electric buses, three Ioniq 5s and three Ioniq 6s are being used for transporting the players and coaching staff of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Hyundai will also reward an Ioniq 5 to the first batter to hit a home run during the back-to

March 19, 2024

Renault to invest W118b in Busan plant

Renault Korea Motors on Monday announced a plan to invest 118 billion won ($88.5 million) in upgrading equipment at its Busan manufacturing plant over the next three years, signifying the French automaker’s efforts to produce hybrid and electric vehicles. Renault Korea Motors CEO Stephane Deblaise and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon signed a memorandum of understanding at the Busan city hall earlier in the day. Renault said it plans to hire 200 new personnel at the Busan plant with the fresh i

March 18, 2024

Kumho Tire to make EV push with EnnoV rebrand

Kumho Tire recently introduced EnnoV, the company's newly branded lineup of tires designed specifically for electric vehicles, stepping up its game in the EV tire competition with Hankook Tire & Technology’s iON brand. The launch took place during the EnnoV Experience Day at the Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on March 15. EnnoV marks a significant rebranding effort by Kumho Tire, consolidating its EV-specific tires, including models su

March 18, 2024

Hyundai, Kia hit 5m in eco-friendly car sales

The number of eco-friendly vehicles sold by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia across the globe has surpassed five million, achieving the milestone after 15 years. According to the South Korean automakers on Sunday, the accumulated sales of their eco-friendly vehicles stood at 4,995,891 units as of last year. The carmakers logged 111,841 eco-friendly vehicles sold in January this year, bringing up the total to over 5.1 million. The eco-friendly vehicles include hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybri

March 17, 2024

Kia CEO: EV3 to lead mass market shift to electric

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung on Friday said the automaker is set to lead the mass adoption of electric vehicles with the upcoming launch of the EV3, its most affordable model to date. “Despite recent fluctuations in demand, the future of electric vehicles is undeniable. Leveraging the success of our EV6 and EV9 models, we are poised to introduce the EV3 this year, finally delivering a viable option for the average consumer,” Song said in the company's annual shareholders' meeting.

March 15, 2024

[KH Explains] Will KG Mobility, Korea's SUV dark horse, triumph globally?

KG Mobility, a stalwart in the South Korean sport utility vehicle scene previously known as Ssangyong Motors, has set an ambitious total sales goal of 147,000 units for this year, a 26.6 percent increase from last year, as it aims to penetrate overseas markets in Europe and Southeast Asia, away from its home turf dominated by Hyundai-Kia. By doubling down on its legacy of tough-looking, rugged SUVs, the company is incorporating cost-effective production strategies, including electrification, and

March 14, 2024

US operations of Hyundai, Kia turn profitable in 2023

Major global offices of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia turned into the black last year as the South Korean automakers logged record-high earnings on surging sales across the world, according to their audit and business reports on Wednesday. According to the audit report of Hyundai Motor Company, the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Alabama posted 236.3 billion won ($180 million) in net income in 2023, a drastic turnaround from the net loss of 808 billion in 2022. Named Hyundai Motor Manuf

March 13, 2024

Luxury car sales hit by new lime green plate scheme

Sales of imported cars from luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Bentley have plummeted in South Korea during the first two months of 2024, coinciding with the government's implementation of lime green license plates for corporate-owned luxury vehicles worth over 80 million won ($61,500). The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association reported a 19.4 percent year-on-year drop in total imported vehicle sales in January this year to 13,083 units, marking the lowest

March 12, 2024

[Photo News] BMW EV charging station

BMW Korea said Tuesday that it has opened a charging station for electric vehicles in Jumujin Beach in the northernmost part of Gangneung, Gangwon Province. The BMW EV charging station can charge up to eight EVs at the same time and is available for not only BMW vehicles but also other brands. The German automaker installed 1,119 EV charging stations in South Korea as of February and plans to set up 1,000 more this year. (BMW Korea)

March 12, 2024

5-minute recharge to drive 300 km: Battery firms eye faster turnaround

At the InterBattery 2024 conference hosted at Coex in southern Seoul last week, South Korea's prime battery companies -- LG Energy Solution, SK On and Samsung SDI -- collectively emphasized ultrafast charging as the critical breakthrough needed to shift the electric vehicle market from its early adopter phase to the mainstream. While the trio showcased distinct approaches to capturing the EV battery market, tech leaders from each company concurred during their keynote presentations at the c

March 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Factorial Energy, Hyundai Motor step forward in EV battery development

Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-largest carmaker, is getting closer to testing the production of electric vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries in collaboration with Factorial Energy, a US-based solid-state battery developer. Factorial Energy announced in October last year that it delivered the first A-samples of its 100+ amp-hours Factorial Electrolyte System Technology solid-state battery cells to one of its auto partners without disclosing the name of the original equipmen

March 10, 2024

LG, Qualcomm partner for EV battery monitoring

LG Energy Solution on Sunday announced a partnership with Qualcomm Technologies to develop an intelligent battery monitoring system for electric vehicles, aiming to simplify battery management for EV owners. This collaboration merges LG's expertise in battery management with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform, which is a comprehensive suite of automotive solutions including connectivity, digital cockpits and advanced driver assistance systems. The new battery management sys

March 10, 2024

[Photo News] Kia EV9 wins UK Car of the Year

Kia's EV9, a large three-row electric SUV launched globally last year, has been named the 2024 UK Car of the Year. The vehicle was recognized by a panel of 30 judges, mainly automotive journalists from publications such as TopGear and Autocar, for its spacious interior that can accommodate up to seven seats, a substantial 489-kilometer maximum driving range, and a sleek design both inside and out, along with its feature-rich information system. (Hyundai Motor Group)

March 10, 2024

Hyundai Motor begins trade-in services for EVs

Hyundai Motor has begun a trade-in service for customers looking to buy new electric vehicles by offering incentives to encourage domestic EV sales, the South Korean automaker announced Thursday. The trade-in benefits, which became effective on March 1, apply to those who sell their cars to Hyundai Motor’s certified used vehicles service and buy the automaker's EVs: the Ioniq 5 and 6 as well as the Kona Electric. According to the company, customers who sell their used EVs made by Hyun

March 7, 2024

[From the Scene] Korean battery giants showcase new tech amid rivalry with China

South Korean battery makers showcased next-generation battery solutions amid competitive pressure from Chinese counterparts and a decelerating electric vehicle market at Interbattery 2024, Korea's largest gathering for the battery industry. This event, which kicked off at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul on Wednesday, broke records, drawing an audience of 42,872 pre-registered attendees, a 77 percent increase compared to last year. LG Energy Solution took center stage with th

March 6, 2024

[Photo News] Hyundai in metaverse

Hyundai Motor Group has launched a virtual brand heritage world on Naver's metaverse platform Zepeto, the automaker announced Wednesday. Named "Timeless in Seoul," the virtual world features Hyundai's first self-developed and produced vehicle Pony and the automaker's awards-winning electric vehicle Ioniq 5. According to Naver, the number of Zepeto users has exceeded 300 million users worldwide. (Hyundai Motor Group)

March 6, 2024

LG launches battery swap service for e-scooters

LG Energy Solution said Tuesday that KooRoo, its company-in-company operating the battery swapping station business for electric two-wheelers, is kicking off full-scale operations following a successful pilot program. KooRoo's service allows users to easily swap the depleted batteries of electric scooters for fully charged ones, seeking to offer delivery riders reduced operating costs and increased convenience compared to conventional vehicles. A recent pilot program in collaboration with d

March 5, 2024

[KH Explains] Shipping constraints shackle Korea's auto export boom

Korean automakers are grappling to maintain their export momentum due to a shortage of car carriers to transport them, driven by the increasing volume of Chinese automotive exports and stringent maritime environmental regulations. The scenario has led to an unprecedented rise in the cost of chartering vehicle transport vessels. This comes as South Korea's auto production exceeded 4 million units for the first time in five years in 2023, with auto exports reaching a record $70.9 billion, con

March 4, 2024

Hyundai Mobis applies for 2,500 patents in 2023

Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group, said Monday that it had applied for 2,500 patents in and out of South Korea last year, with almost half of them related to its core business area of future mobility. According to Hyundai Mobis, about 1,200 patent applications were in future mobility sectors such as automation, autonomous driving and in-vehicle infotainment systems. “Hyundai Mobis' patent reinforcement activities are aimed at securing a competitive ad

March 4, 2024

[Photo News] The New Ioniq 5

Hyundai Motor Company on Monday announced the launch of the new Ioniq 5, the first product enhancement model of the automaker's signature all-electric vehicle since its debut in 2021. Equipped with an 84-kilowatt-hour battery, the upgraded EV has a driving range of up to 485 kilometers per charge, an increase of 27 km from the previous model. The EV also comes with the next-generation infotainment system called connected car navigation cockpit to offer the experience of a software-defined v

March 4, 2024