[KH Explains] Why tighter US subsidy rules could boost Chinese firms

Tighter rules from the US limiting China-made materials in batteries eligible for electric vehicle tax credits might ironically offer a boon for Chinese companies, who hold huge stakes in joint ventures with South Korean battery manufacturers. The Joe Biden administration on Friday announced new guidance for the Inflation Reduction Act barring electric car buyers from claiming a $7,500 tax credit in case the product uses materials from China and other countries deemed a “Foreign Entity of

Dec. 4, 2023

[Photo News] Toyota donates Kimchi

Toyota Motor Korea said Monday that it donated kimchi to the underprivileged across South Korea last week in partnership with the Seoul Council on Social Welfare. Some 300 company officials and dealers, including CEO Manabu Konyama (right), participated in the voluntary event, which the Japanese company has carried out every year since 2012. (Toyota Motor Korea)

Dec. 4, 2023

[Photo News] Golf Treffen in Korea

Volkswagen Korea said Monday it held a special meeting for local owners of the Golf, the German automaker's signature compact vehicle, for the first time in Korea at a car theater in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sunday. Named the "2023 Volkswagen Golf Treffen Korea," the event drew some 70 Golf vehicles and 200 participants. "Treffen" means an informal gathering in German. According to the automaker, Koreans across the country brought various models of Golf ranging from t

Dec. 4, 2023

Kia's EV9 wins multiple global accolades

Kia's latest large full-electric sport utility vehicle, the EV9, is garnering a slew of global accolades, clenching three major awards and several nominations for major North American and World Car of the Year honors. Kia on Sunday announced the EV9's win of the 2024 Danish Car of the Year's Innovation Award from Danske Motorjournalist, Denmark’s Automobile Journalists Association. In Spain, the car was also named the Moveo Car of the Year 2023 by La Vanguardia, gaining reco

Dec. 3, 2023

EcoPro, Samsung SDI clinch W44tr cathode supply deal

EcoPro BM, a battery materials manufacturing subsidiary of EcoPro, said Sunday it has forged a deal with Samsung SDI to supply 44 trillion won ($34 billion) worth of cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. From next year to 2028, the battery materials company is poised to supply high-nickel cathode materials that consist of more than 80 percent nickel to Samsung SDI’s EV battery manufacturing plant in Hungary. EcoPro BM CEO Joo Jae-hwan, Samsung SDI Vice President Kim Ik-hyeon an

Dec. 3, 2023

Incheon Airport traffic nears pre-pandemic levels

Passenger traffic at Incheon Airport has breached 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels as of November, according to the airport on Sunday. The number of international passengers via the airport was 5.35 million in November, equivalent to 91 percent of the monthly average of 5.88 million in 2019. The overall passenger counts from January to November this year amounted to 50.51 million, reflecting a recovery to 78 percent of the 2019 level. Travelers to popular destinations, including Japan, the US

Dec. 3, 2023

Hyundai Mobis develops world’s first quantum dot car display

Hyundai Mobis, a South Korean auto parts maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled on Thursday that it has developed the world's first quantum dot display for automobiles with local dimming technology, offering a lower-cost alternative to organic light-emitting diode displays commonly found in luxury vehicles. It marks Hyundai Mobis' entry into the high-end automotive display arena, positioning its quantum dot innovation as a challenger to pillar-to-pillar OLED display format

Dec. 2, 2023

[KH Explains] KG Mobility looks to turn to annual profit for 1st time in 7 years

KG Mobility is hoping to finish 2023 strong to end the year with a profit for the first time since 2016 on strong sales overseas and the automaker’s bestselling sport utility vehicle Torres. According to a regulatory filing, the Korean carmaker has logged accumulative revenue and operating profit of almost 3 trillion won ($2.32 billion) and 42.4 billion won, respectively, in the first three quarters of this year. The revenue from the period of January to September saw a 24.6 percent jump o

Nov. 30, 2023

Hyundai Motor says Expo bid bolstered global partnerships

Hyundai Motor Group, one of the most avid supporters of the ultimately unsuccessful Korean campaign to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, reports having strengthened its worldwide business opportunities and global partnerships through the campaign-backing efforts across the globe. The Korean government came up short as the country lost to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the first round of voting by the members of the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris on Tuesday. Despite the loss, Hyundai Mot

Nov. 29, 2023

Hyundai’s ‘Uni Wheel’ system gives more room for different car designs

Hyundai Motor Group on Tuesday unveiled a more compact, integrated wheel system that frees up more room for futuristic car designs. Called “Uni Wheel,” short for Universal Wheel Drive System, the system integrates the constant velocity joints – a device that links the vehicle’s transmission to its wheels – and other parts such as the drive shaft and car decelerator into a wheel. The system, the first of its kind, also connects smaller motors to each wheel, instead o

Nov. 28, 2023

Volvo EX30 debuts in Korea

Volvo on Tuesday launched its latest all-electric sport utility vehicle, EX30, in South Korea, emphasizing the EV’s extraordinary safety technology and affordable prices to win the hearts of local customers. “EX30 is a premium all-electric vehicle that has everything required to move toward a safer future,” said Lee Yun-mo, CEO of Volvo Cars Korea. “(The EV) has everything that our customers expect from Volvo. Ranging from a new, pure electric powertrain that has achieved

Nov. 28, 2023

[Photo News] Faker for Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Tuesday that the automaker held a fan meeting with Lee Sang-hyeok and Moon Hyun-jun -- two players of Korea's League of Legends team T1, better known as Faker and Oner, respectively -- at the Yongin AMG Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Monday to celebrate T1's victory at the LoL World Championship Finals earlier this month. Mercedes-Benz is an official sponsor of T1. In this photo, Lee poses with the high-performance electric vehicle Mercedes-AMG EQE on the rac

Nov. 28, 2023

[KH explains] Hyundai to sell vehicles on Amazon in US sales push

Hyundai Motor Group’s cars will be sold online through Amazon for the first time in the US next year, offering an opportunity for the world’s third-largest carmaker to ramp up sales in the all-important market. During the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 16, Hyundai and Amazon announced that customers can purchase Hyundai vehicles -- internal combustion engine cars, electric vehicles, leased and used cars -- available in their area on the tech giant’s website from a local dealer

Nov. 27, 2023

Hyundai Motor chief named automotive industry leader of 2023

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun has been named the winner of the industry leader category in this year’s Automotive News All-Stars awards, the South Korean automaker said Monday. “This award is in recognition of the entire Hyundai Motor Group family and partners all around the world who have worked so hard and devoted themselves to making sure that we achieve our vision of smart, sustainable mobility and progress for humanity,” Chung said. “Hyundai Motor

Nov. 27, 2023

Trailblazer, Trax drive up GM Korea’s exports

GM Korea, the Korean arm of the US auto giant General Motors, logged robust export sales in October, taking up nearly 20 percent of the nation’s total automobile exports, industry estimates showed Monday. Out of the total 225,391 Korea-made vehicles exported in October, 42,623 units or 18.9 percent were accounted for by GM’s two popular SUV models -- the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Trax Crossover -- according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. GM Korea's number

Nov. 27, 2023

Software update management system -- a key prerequisite for software-defined vehicle

Until five years ago, carmakers were hesitant to introduce cybersecurity measures in vehicles despite being aware of their necessity due to cost issues. However, when the European Union introduced cybersecurity regulations in 2022, it became virtually impossible to enter the European market without meeting the new standards. The change has made cybersecurity an essential element to ensure the survival of carmakers. The advancements in vehicle software, diversification of vehicles’ function

Nov. 27, 2023

[Hello Indonesia] Hyundai Motor vows to steer Indonesia's transition to EVs

Hyundai Motor is sticking to its mission to lead the growth of the electric vehicle sector in Indonesia, pledging to offer a wide range of EV options for customers and set up a complete ecosystem of EVs with charging infrastructure and battery reuse. “Hyundai Motor is a brand that is pioneering and leading the Indonesian EV market,” said Lee Young-tack, president of Hyundai Motor Asia-Pacific Headquarters, in a recent email interview with The Korea Herald. “We plan to establish

Nov. 26, 2023

Hydrogen supply shortage will ease next week: ministry

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Sunday the recent supply disruptions of hydrogen for automobiles in the central region of South Korea will gradually ease next week. “(The government has made sure) the hydrogen suppliers have secured extra hydrogen, so we expect the supply glitch will slowly improve starting next week,” said Lee Ho-hyeon, head of energy policy at the industry ministry, in a statement. “Until the situation returns back to normal, we will carry out

Nov. 26, 2023

[Photo News] Last spurt for Busan Expo

Hyundai Motor Group’s flagship electric vehicles -- the Ioniq 6 and EV6 -- bearing the slogan “Busan is Ready,” are parked in front of Le Palais des Congres d'Issy in Paris, where voting to select the host country for the 2030 World Expo is to take place Tuesday. The automaker said the art cars promoted Busan’s bid to host the global event in Paris by driving around the voting site as well as major tourist attractions including the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre sinc

Nov. 26, 2023

[KH Explains] Why Hyundai Motor is pursuing future mobility in Singapore

Hyundai Motor Group on Tuesday held a grand opening ceremony for the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore, a non-traditional vehicle manufacturing facility filled with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, data analysis and robotics. As for the question of why the South Korean automaker chose Singapore to build the unprecedented site, Hyundai Motor says the answer lies in the fact that it attracts the world's top talent as a global innovation hub.

Nov. 23, 2023