[Photo News] Kia EV3

Kia on Tuesday released teaser images of the Kia EV3, the automaker's upcoming all-electric sports utility vehicle slated to hit the global market in the second half of this year. Kia expects the EV3, which will mark the Korean brand's third EV following the EV6 and EV9, to spearhead the mass adoption of EVs as it will be its most affordable model so far. The automaker will unveil the specifications of the EV3 through a global premiere on May 23. (Hyundai Motor Group)

May 7, 2024

Sales of eco-friendly cars top 100,000 in Q1 in S. Korea

Sales of eco-friendly cars surpassed 100,000 units in the first quarter in South Korea on booming demand for hybrid vehicles, industry data showed Sunday. A total of 101,727 environmentally friendly cars made by five South Korean carmakers, including Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., were sold during the January-March period, up 8.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data. Out of this total, 85,828 units, or 84.4 percent, were hybrid cars, soaring 42.4 percent from the same period last

May 5, 2024

Hyundai Motor to inject extra W1.3tr in Motional

Hyundai Motor Group will invest 1.29 trillion won ($946 million) in Motional, a US-based autonomous driving startup, to boost technological development and secure stable control of the startup, the Korean auto conglomerate said Friday. Hyundai Motor will spend 663 billion won in capital increase and another 620 billion won for acquiring Aptiv’s 11 percent share in Motional, bringing the auto giant’s total share to 66.8 percent. The auto giant’s three affiliates -- Hyundai Motor

May 3, 2024

Hyundai Motor aims to lead hydrogen truck business in US

Hyundai Motor Company is looking to spearhead the hydrogen-powered truck business in the United States as the Korean automaker welcomed the official launch of NorCAL ZERO Project, a pro-environment initiative using the company's hydrogen fuel cell technology to bring zero-emission freight transportation to the San Francisco Bay Area and California's Central Valley, on Friday. "The NorCAL ZERO Project in Oakland marks a significant step forward in realizing Hyundai's vision fo

May 3, 2024

Mercedes-Benz Financial names new Korea chief

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea announced Thursday that Thomas Waggershauser, an automotive finance expert, has been appointed as its new CEO. The new Korea chief is an industry veteran with a career spanning 20 years at Mercedes-Benz Mobility, the financial service company affiliated with Mercedes-Benz Group. Prior to his appointment, he served as the head of overseas and Greater China market management at Mercedes-Benz Mobility in Stuttgart, Germany, where Mercedes-Benz is headquartered

May 2, 2024

[Photo News] New Kia EV6

Kia unveiled teaser images of the new EV6 on Thursday. The Korean automaker said the headlamps feature the brand's new "Star-map Signature Lighting" to give more dynamic and futuristic vibes. The new EV6 will be the first product enhancement model of Hyundai Motor Group's first electric vehicle developed on its EV-dedicated platform E-GMP. The existing EV6 was launched in August 2021. Detailed specs of the new EV6 will be released later this month. (Hyundai Motor Group)

May 2, 2024

Hyundai Motor launches internship program for foreign students

Hyundai Motor Company announced Tuesday its commitment to cultivating global talent through a summer internship program designated for international students in Korea, fostering the company’s cultural inclusivity and global market presence. This marks the first time Hyundai Motor has openly recruited international students studying in Korea as interns. The flagship unit of Hyundai Motor Group, the world's third-largest carmaker, aims to blend diverse international perspectives into it

April 30, 2024

[Photo News] Kumho in Europe

Kumho Tire held a brand experience day at the Vairano Circuit in Milan on April 21 to offer European dealers hands-on experiences with the Korean brand, the tire maker said Monday. The company plans to bolster its presence in the European market even further, as it has seen an average of 20 percent annual growth rate in its regional revenue over the last five years. The Korean tire maker has set out the record-high goal of reaching 4.56 trillion won ($3.3 billion) in annual sales this year after

April 29, 2024

[Hello India] Hyundai Motor vows to boost 'clean mobility' in India

Hyundai Motor Group has reiterated the importance of India and reaffirmed its commitment to the burgeoning market as its chief visited the world’s most populous country earlier this week. “India, one of the regions that has contributed the most to the growth of Hyundai Motor Group, has overcome many difficulties such as the global economic recession and supply chain crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic period and continuously came up with good performances,” said Hyundai Motor G

April 25, 2024

[KH Explains] Korean shipbuilding stocks rally: Real growth or bubble?

Since mid-March, Korea's leading shipbuilders have seen a significant uptick in their stock prices. Despite a sluggish start to the year due to a saturated order book and limited production capacity, renewed optimism has emerged among investors, possibly due to the anticipated benefits from escalating trade tensions between the US and China, along with the depreciation of the Korean won. Whether the trade war is the exact cause is unclear, particularly due to limited American purchasing pow

April 25, 2024

[Photo News] Delivery with robot dog

Kia said Thursday that it has recently conducted a pilot project to deliver parcels with Spot, a four-legged robot developed by Hyundai Motor Group-backed Boston Dynamics, as the company seeks new business models in advanced logistics. In collaboration with CJ Logistics, Hyundai E&C and robotics startup D.Hive, Kia loaded Spot onto CJ's parcel electric truck. Once the delivery car arrived in a residential area, Spot carried each package to its destined household. (Hyundai Motor Group)

April 25, 2024

[From the Scene] KG Mobility poised to take next leap

PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province -- A group of workers gathered to check a computerized system at KG Mobility’s Pyeongtaek plant in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday afternoon. While most workers were taking their 10-minute break, they came together to try to improve the workflow. That passion played a crucial role in the company logging its first profitable year in 2023 for the first time in 16 years, according to the Korean automaker’s head of production. “I think (our turnaround) la

April 24, 2024

Hyundai unveils versatile commercial EV platform

Hyundai Motor Company launched its new ST1 series of electrified, purpose-built vehicles for commercial use on Tuesday, aiming to diversify and enhance the efficiency of commercial vehicles for both logistics applications and beyond. An open API-based software platform -- a first for Hyundai vehicles -- is a standout component of the series, which expands the possibilities of today's commercial vehicles by providing the exact telematics data that each business user needs. The unveiling too

April 24, 2024

Samsung SDI showcases latest battery tech at EVS37

Samsung SDI is exhibiting its next-generation "super-gap" battery technologies, including all-solid-state batteries and ultra-fast charging solutions, at the 37th Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition in Seoul from Tuesday, where it plans to show its ongoing progress in achieving future commercial availability. The event, known colloquially as the "World EV Olympics," has been a key international platform for electric mobility since its inception in 1969. This year mark

April 23, 2024

[Photo News] Kia Tasman in camouflage

Kia on Tuesday unveiled a camouflage-inspired design for the Tasman, the brand's first pickup truck that is set to debut in 2025. Collaborating with Australia and New Zealand-based artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop, the Korean automaker created the colorful wrap design under the theme of "The Paths Never Taken." Starting in 2025, the Kia Tasman will be released in Korea, Australia, Asia and the Middle East in phases. (Hyundai Motor Group)

April 23, 2024

BMW’s unveils new Korean R&D center

BMW Group officially opened the doors to its expanded research and development center in Korea in Cheongna International City on Monday. This transformed facility, originally launched in 2015 within the BMW Driving Center premise on the nearby island of Yeongjongdo, has now moved and evolved into a comprehensive, standalone R&D center dedicated to advancing BMW's innovations outside of Europe, alongside its centers in the US, China, Japan, and Brazil. The BMW Group R&D Center Korea

April 22, 2024

Hyundai Motor to power US EV plant with renewable energy

Hyundai Motor Group has inked a 147-megawatt power purchase agreement with Matrix Renewables, a Spanish renewable energy company, to power its electric vehicle plant currently under construction in the state of Georgia, the Korean auto conglomerate said Monday. According to Hyundai Motor, the deal marked the largest single PPA signed by a Korean company in the US. The conglomerate’s four companies -- Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, the auto giant’s EV plant, Hyundai Mobis Nort

April 22, 2024

[Test Drive] Honda’s hybrid tech mixes best of engine, motor

Honda has long been known for its top-level hybrid technology in the global auto sector. As hybrid vehicles take the spotlight with the electric vehicle market having entered a slump, the Japanese automaker is looking to make the most of the opportunity in Korea. The Korea Herald had a chance to drive the Honda CR-V Hybrid 4WD Touring and Honda Accord Hybrid Touring. Each ride covered about 57 kilometers, taking place in southern Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Before the test ride began, Honda pr

April 22, 2024

Polestar 4 to make Korean debut in June

Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar will launch the Polestar 4, an all-electric coupe-style sports utility vehicle, in June, the carmaker’s Korean office said Friday. “The Polestar 4 is an all-around premium EV that has an outstanding commercial value in many aspects ranging from design, performance, sustainability, safety, spaciousness and (advanced driver assistance system),” said Ham Jong-sung, managing director of Polestar Korea. “We are working on various prepara

April 19, 2024

[Photo News] Kia's display designs for NBA fans

Kia has unveiled 30 new vehicle display themes on Friday based on the logos and colors of 30 NBA teams to tailor to basketball enthusiasts, ahead of the NBA playoffs starting this weekend. The Korean carmaker said it first introduced over-the-air updates for EV9 display themes in the US on April 9, and will expand the service to Korea in the latter half of this year for vehicles equipped with its connected car navigation cockpits and OTA capabilities. (Kia)

April 19, 2024