[Herald Interview] Group14, SK Materials to operate Asia’s largest silicon plant for EVs

The joint venture between Washington-based Group14 Technologies and SK Materials, a chemical materials unit under Korea’s SK Group, will start the commercial operation of Asia’s first large-scale manufacturing plant for silicon battery materials in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, early next year. “(SK Materials Group14), the joint venture in Sangju, is the Asia’s first electric vehicle-scale silicon anode manufacturing facility that will go online very soon in the next

Dec. 17, 2023

Sales of Hyundai, Kia in US exceed 1.5m this year

The combined vehicle sales of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top carmaker, and its affiliate Kia Corp. in the United States surpassed 1.5 million units this year, according to industry data on Sunday. Hyundai and Kia sold 788,403 and 722,176 units, respectively, over the January-November period, the data showed. Hyundai's figures include sales of its independent Genesis brand, which also hit an annual record of 62,372 units. The combined figure marks the highest yearly sales since Hy

Dec. 17, 2023

Hyundai Kona EV remains eligible for French EV incentives

Hyundai Motor's all-electric compact sports utility vehicle, the Kona Electric, will continue to be eligible for cash incentives offered by the French government to buyers of electric vehicles. Paris on Thursday released a list of 78 EVs from 22 brands eligible for the government incentives. According to the announcement, Kona was the only Korean vehicle that remained eligible, whereas Kia’s two hybrid vehicles -- the Niro and Soul -- were excluded from the list. The new eligibility l

Dec. 15, 2023

Kia to unveil 5 new concept cars at CES 2024

Kia will present its future sustainable mobility strategies and unveil five new concept vehicles for the first time at the CES tech show in Las Vegas early next month, the Korean automaker said Thursday. Returning to CES for the first time since 2019, Kia said it will redefine the “Purpose-Built vehicle,” or PBV, the brand’s total mobility solution, to “Platform Beyond Vehicle” to offer experience-based values that suggest new business and lifestyles. The automaker

Dec. 14, 2023

[Herald Interview] SES AI bolsters battery partnership with Hyundai Motor on EV, UAM

SES AI Corp., a Boston-based company pioneering in lithium-metal batteries, is strengthening business ties with Hyundai Motor Group in developing the next-generation power source for electric vehicles and Urban Air Mobility. “Of the three production lines in Korea, we are preparing one for developing B-Sample lithium-metal batteries for EVs in Uiwang, near Seoul, with Hyundai Motor Group,” said SES AI Corp. CEO Qichao Hu during an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Wednesday

Dec. 14, 2023

[Photo News] New Toyota Prius

Toyota Korea on Wednesday launched the fifth-generation Prius in South Korea. The Japanese carmaker's signature hybrid model comes in two different powertrains: a 2.0-liter hybrid electric vehicle boasting fuel efficiency of 20.9 kilometers per liter and a 2.0-liter plug-in HEV capable of driving up to 64 km on battery only. The starting prices of the HEV and PHEV models are set at 39.9 million won ($30,350) and 46.3 million won, respectively. (Toyota Korea)

Dec. 13, 2023

Germany’s lukewarm EV sales alarm Korean battery makers

A recent report showed that Germany, the largest European automotive market, is expected to see a drop in electric vehicle sales this year for the first time in seven years, piling pressure on Korean battery makers who have operated core businesses in the all-important region. From January to November, the number of EVs sold in Germany decreased 5 percent on-year to 627,000 units, according to a report from Eugene Investment & Securities. In November alone, the country witnessed a 39 percent

Dec. 12, 2023

Hyundai, Kia file patent for 'automatic' snow chains

Hyundai Motor and its sister company Kia on Monday unveiled a new tire technology that promises to improve winter driving safety and convenience by offering an automatic, hassle-free alternative to traditional snow chains. The patented technology integrates snow chains into the tire using a shape memory alloy. Traditional snow chains, known for their cumbersome installation and removal process, often deter drivers from using them. This new technology enables automatic deployment and retraction o

Dec. 11, 2023

Porsche Korea CEO named honorary Seoul citizen

Porsche Korea CEO Holger Gerrmann has been appointed as an honorary foreign citizen of Seoul, the German automaker's Korean office said Monday. "Blending historical landmarks and modern cityscapes and combining vibrant cultural diversity, Seoul is a city that inspires dreamers and is full of positive energy for the future," Gerrmann said in a statement. "As a representative of the corporate citizens and a citizen of Seoul, I will continue to fulfill my social responsibilities

Dec. 11, 2023

LG Uplus, Toyota team up to extend EV charginbg network

Toyota Motor Korea and LG Uplus, the nation’s main telecommunications carrier, have joined hands to build an electric vehicle charging network in line with the electrification megatrend, the companies said Monday. Under the memorandum of understanding, the mobile carrier agreed to supply its EV charging platform named Voltup to the automaker. Launched last year, Voltup is an independent EV charger business led by LG Uplus. The mobile carrier takes care of the launch, management and custome

Dec. 11, 2023

[Herald Interview] Renault Korea prepares for major changes from 2024

Renault Korea Motors is pinning high hopes for next year to be the beginning of a complete turnaround after years of struggle, as the French automaker has big plans for 2024 and beyond, its CEO says. “Next year, we will have two big events. One related to the brand uplift and one related to the launch of the Aurora 1,” said Renault Korea Motors CEO Stephane Deblaise in an interview with The Korea Herald at the automaker’s office in Seoul on Dec. 5. The Aurora 1, codenamed AR1,

Dec. 10, 2023

LG's new research promises potential for 900km-range EVs

LG Energy Solutions and the nation's top-ranked Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have made a significant discovery in lithium metal battery technology, as revealed in a research paper in the prestigious journal Nature Energy, potentially increasing electric vehicle range by 50 percent and drastically enhancing battery efficiency and lifespan. The discovery stems from a collaboration that began over two years ago at the Frontier Research Laboratory, a joint venture between

Dec. 7, 2023

Samsung SDI renews push for all-solid-state batteries

Samsung SDI said Thursday it has set up a team dedicated to pushing forward the development of the next generation all-solid-state batteries. All-solid-state batteries are called “game changer batteries,” in which all the components are solid. Theoretically, they have higher levels of energy density and are more stable than lithium-ion batteries using liquid or polymer gel electrolytes. The new “ASB business team,” headed by Go Joo-young, executive vice president and he

Dec. 7, 2023

BMW, Mercedes-Benz duel to be No. 1 importer in Korea

The race to be South Korea’s top auto importer is coming down to the wire as BMW tries to reclaim the No. 1 position from Mercedes-Benz for the first time since 2015. According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association’s report released Tuesday, BMW sold 69,546 vehicles in the Korean market from January to November. Mercedes-Benz sold 68,156 units in the same period, 1,390 cars less than BMW. The bestselling models of the two German automakers are the BMW 5 Serie

Dec. 6, 2023

Posco Future M to supply battery materials for LG-GM’s JV in US

Posco Future M said Wednesday its Pohang plant in North Gyeongsang Province had started the supply of high-nickel cathode materials to the US-based Ultium Cells, the joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors. Following its manufacturing plant in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, the Pohang site is the company’s second production base for high-nickel cathode materials. With the fast-growing demand for the materials from battery makers, it has moved up the schedule for commercia

Dec. 6, 2023

Posco wins W300b EV parts deal with US carmaker

Posco International announced Wednesday it has signed a contract worth 300 billion won ($229 million) to supply electric vehicle parts to an American manufacturer, ramping up its presence in the green vehicles industry. Under the contract, Posco International will supply electric vehicle reducers to a major automaker based in the US from 2024 until 2032. The company declined to reveal the name of the client, citing deal conditions. A reducer can adjust the rotational speed to increase the torque

Dec. 6, 2023

[Photo News] GV60 named China SUV of year

Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday that its premium brand's all-electric sports utility vehicle, the Genesis GV60, has been named the 2024 China SUV of the Year. According to the carmaker, the car won the top honor by a wide margin as it received a total score of 186, while the Lotus Eletre and the Geely Galaxy L7 received 121 and 107 points, respectively, among some 80 competitors. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Dec. 6, 2023

Hyundai, Kia named top exporters of the year

South Korean carmaker Hyundai and its sibling firm Kia have topped the list of exporters in Korea, posting a record-high of $54.5 billion in total export volume, Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday. Among 1,700 companies here, Hyundai and Kia ranked first and second place, respectively, the highest record since 2012 when the two recorded $350 billion in exports. From July 2022 to June this year, Hyundai’s exports surged on-year 29.6 percent to $31 billion, while Kia saw a 30.7 percent jump to

Dec. 5, 2023

[Photo News] Up in the chair

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that it donated 30 vehicles and 105 electric wheelchairs and electric scooters to encourage mobility for people with disabilities. The South Korean automaker has carried out the corporate social responsibility activity since 2011. According to the firm, the accumulated amount of donations has reached 7.9 billion won ($6 million) so far. The donations have been delivered to various associations and federations that support disabled people across the country. (Hyun

Dec. 5, 2023

Hanwha sets W1.4tr goal in battery equipment sales by 2027

Hanwha Momentum, a supplier of manufacturing facilities and equipment for batteries, solar panels and displays, hosted its 2023 Hanwha Battery Day on Monday to reveal the company's strategies and technological road map in response to burgeoning global demand for secondary battery manufacturing equipment. During the event, CEO Yang Ki-won unveiled an ambitious target of 1.4 trillion won ($1.07 billion) in sales solely from secondary battery process equipment solutions by 2027. The company&

Dec. 4, 2023