[Herald Interview] Porsche zeroes in on making more fans with new Panamera

The chief of the Porche's Panamera line said building a bigger local fandom will be the carmaker's most important goal as the sporty sedan's third-generation was rolled out in Korea. “The question is not only ‘how do we get the customers to the brand and how do we get them not only as customers and drivers of our cars' (but also) 'How do we get them as fans of the brand?’” said Thomas Friemuth, the head of Porsche’s Panamera product line at

April 7, 2024

[KH Explains] Hyundai Motor’s bet on robot dog befalls murky outlook

Hyundai Motor Group has found itself at a crossroads as Boston Dynamics, a US-based robotics company that the Korean auto conglomerate acquired in 2021, struggles to find a breakthrough amid mounting losses. Over two years have passed since Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun appeared on stage with Boston Dynamics’ four-legged, dog-like robot, Spot, at the CES 2022 in Las Vegas. “Robots are getting closer to humans. Just like you are carrying your phone today, in the

April 7, 2024

Kia to invest W38tr through 2028 with focus on automation

Kia on Friday unveiled a plan to invest 38 trillion won ($28.1 billion) through 2028 in an investor relations event held at Conrad Seoul, vowing to lead the global auto industry’s automation. According to the Korean automaker, 65 percent of the large-scale investment will be injected into automation, 19 percent will be used for developing purpose-built vehicles, which were redefined as "platform beyond vehicles" at CES in January, 8 percent will be spent on the transition to soft

April 5, 2024

EV sales drop 25% in S. Korea in Q1; hybrid car sales jump

Electric vehicle sales in South Korea plunged 25 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, while gasoline hybrid model sales jumped 46 percent during the same period, according to a market tracker Friday. From January to March, the country's EV registrations fell to 25,550 units from 34,186 in the same period of last year as global EV sales growth slows, CarIsYou said in a statement. It is the first time for the first-quarter EV sales to fall compared to a year earlier, the statemen

April 5, 2024

Renault Korea announces rebrand for fresh start

Renault Korea, the Korean branch of the French automotive firm, announced on Wednesday a significant rebranding initiative and the 2025 launch of the Renault Scenic E-Tech, an all-electric compact crossover SUV, in the Korean market. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Renault Seongsu flagship store in eastern Seoul. The rebranding sees Renault Korea shedding its previous moniker, Renault Korea Motors, in favor of a sleeker identity that simply reads "Renault Korea.&q

April 3, 2024

Hyundai Mobis' media platform gets digital face-lift

Hyundai Mobis, a key subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group specializing in automotive components, unveiled Wednesday a comprehensive refurbishment of its media website, Mobis Live, aiming to bolster its communication channels. Mobis Live serves as the firm’s official platform to provide insights into the broader mobility industry and the latest developments within the company. This revamp is a part of the strategy to solidify its position as a central hub for mobility-related narratives th

April 3, 2024

[Photo News] Hyundai's new delivery robot

Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled DAL-e Delivery, the auto giant's upgraded indoor delivery robot for use in buildings. According to the auto conglomerate, the robot, which is based on four plug-and-drive modules, can move at a speed of up to 4.32 kilometers per hour -- equivalent to the average walking pace of an adult. The robot can also load up to 10 kilograms. The robots will be dispatched to the Factorial Seongsu office building in western Seoul in the second quarter of this ye

April 3, 2024

LG Energy Solution rolls out 1st battery cell at Tennessee plant

LG Energy Solution said Tuesday that it has delivered the first battery cells produced at Ultium Cells’ manufacturing plant in Tennessee to its client. The battery products made at the Tennessee site will be loaded onto General Motors’ third-generation electric vehicles, including the Cadillac Lyriq. The Tennessee plant is the second battery production site of Ultium Cells, a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors. According to LG Energy Solution, the first batte

April 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Seoul anchors Rolls-Royce's Asian luxe

Seoul is soon to be the third city hosting a Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Private Office, an exclusive design studio where clients can work closely with bespoke managers and designers to create their own custom Rolls-Royce. “The Seoul Office covers clientele from the whole Asia-Pacific, not just Korea, like the Dubai Office is for the Middle East and the Shanghai Office for China. Believe me, our team looked at 60 places across Asia for a whole year to find the perfect spot. And we’ve dete

April 2, 2024

Hyundai Motor grabs triple win in World Car Awards

Hyundai Motor Group has once again triumphed at the 2024 World Car Awards, with its vehicles being named World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle, and World Performance Car of the Year. The World Car Awards is an annual event organized by automotive journalists globally to honor excellence in the car industry across multiple categories. This accolade marks the third consecutive victory for Hyundai Motor Group in the World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle of the Year categories, be

April 2, 2024

[Photo News] New Panamera in Korea

Porsche on Tuesday launched the new Panamera in the Korean market. The third-generation sporty sedan boasts the new plug-in hybrid model equipped with the newly developed electric motor and revised four-liter V8 turbo engine. The upgraded hybrid powertrain can create a system output of up to 650 horsepower. With the advanced battery, the new plug-in hybrid vehicle can drive up to 91 kilometers on a single charge. The prices of the new Panamera 4 and Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid begin at 176.7 million

April 2, 2024

Hyundai Motor's March sales down 3.7 pct on weaker demand in S. Korea

Hyundai Motor, South Korea's leading automaker, said Monday its monthly sales fell 3.7 percent in March from a year earlier due to sluggish demand in its home market. Hyundai Motor sold 369,132 vehicles last month, down from 383,396 units a year ago, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales sank 16.1 percent on-year to 62,504 units last month, and exports edged down 0.7 percent to 306,628 units during the cited period. Hyundai Motor said it sold 15,302 sedans, including 6,100 Grandeu

April 1, 2024

First Jeep EV to make Korean debut in H2

Stellantis will launch the Avenger, the Jeep brand’s first all-electric sports utility vehicle, in Korea in the second half of this year as the global automaker looks to focus on regaining customer trust and bolstering its brand image here, the company’s recently appointed head said Monday. “Challenges and opportunities still co-exist in (the Korean market),” said Bang Sil, managing director of Stellantis Korea, in her first press conference since starting in her role as

April 1, 2024

[Test Drive] All-new Defender trumpets return of off-road champ

INJE, Gangwon Province -- “(Other carmakers) are worried when (they) see snow and rain, but we love it, and I think we’re going to have a great day,” said Robin Colgan, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Korea, as he greeted reporters taking part in the automaker’s test drive for the 2024 all-new Defender in Inje, Gangwon Province, on Tuesday. As the 48-kilometer test drive for the JLR’s flagship sports utility vehicle included on- and off-road routes that had m

March 31, 2024

[Photo News] Robotaxi passes DMV road test

Hyundai Motor Group on Saturday posted a video of an autonomous robotaxi model of the Ioniq 5, the Korean automaker's all-electric compact sports utility vehicle, passing the driver's license test, on its global YouTube channel. The four-minute video shows how the self-driving vehicle gets through the road test without a driver but with a certified DMV examiner overseeing the process from the passenger seat, in the state of Nevada. (Hyundai Motor Group)

March 31, 2024

[From the Scene] Extreme climates to battery cells: Inside Hyundai's safety efforts

Hyundai Motor Group, having climbed to the rank of the second-largest electric vehicle seller in the United States last year just behind the trailblazer Tesla, recently took reporters behind the scenes to reveal the backbone of their success: a commitment to safety amid the industry's sprint toward longer battery ranges and fast charging. On Wednesday, the press was invited to the automaker's Namyang Technology Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, to witness firsthand the safety testi

March 31, 2024

Govt. mulls further cutting EV subsidies

The government is considering further cutting electric vehicle subsidies next year to instead use the funds to supplement insufficient charging infrastructure, according to sources Sunday. According to the sources, government ministries overseeing EV subsidy policy, including the finance and environment ministries, are discussing ways to reduce EV subsidies for next year based on state budget guidelines for 2025. During the discussions, the finance ministry has stressed the need to strengthen th

March 31, 2024

Audi Korea names new head, seeks business turnaround

Volkswagen Group Korea on Thursday appointed Steve Cloete to become the next head of Audi Korea as the German automaker looks for a breakthrough to turn around ailing sales in the local market. According to the announcement, Cloete will begin this new post at Audi Korea starting May 1. The new chief has over 27 years of experience in the automotive industry having worked at Hyundai Motor Group in South Africa and BMW Group in Bahrain. After joining Audi in 2014, Cloete worked in after-sales and

March 28, 2024

Kia EV9 wins world car of year

The Kia EV9, an all-electric large sports utility vehicle, won the World Car of the Year on Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show, marking the third year in a row for South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group to take the prestigious award. The EV9 beat out the EX30, Volvo’s electric subcompact crossover SUV, and the BYD Seal, a midsize sedan of the Chinese EV behemoth, to claim the highest honor. Kia’s electric SUV came out on top of the competition between 38 vehicles

March 28, 2024

[Photo News] Kia K4 unveiled

The Kia K4 -- the South Korean carmaker's latest midsized sedan -- was unveiled for the first time anywhere at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. Kia said the new vehicle has been equipped with artificial intelligence assistance based on generative AI technologies that allows the car to communicate smoothly with the driver. According to the automaker, the Kia K4 will launch in the North American market in the second half of this year. (Hyundai Motor Group)

March 28, 2024