Tesla opens Superchargers to rivals in South Korea

Tesla has begun making its Superchargers in Korea accessible to all non-Tesla electric vehicles, tightening its grip on the mobility charging network on the home turf of Hyundai and Kia. Starting Wednesday, non-Tesla electric cars can use around 570 of the EV maker’s V3 chargers that can give 261 kilometers of range in approximately 15 minutes at 84 stations. That is around half of the 1,007 Superchargers at 148 stations in Korea. To use the chargers, drivers should download the Tesla app,

Nov. 23, 2023

[From the Scene] HD Hyundai to expand military vessel business

ULSAN -- The docks of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries at the shipbuilder’s Ulsan shipyard were filled with ships being built and bustling with workers on Monday morning. Covering 6.35 square kilometers, the Ulsan shipyard is known for having the most dry docks in the world. Building on top of its global in the merchant ship sector, the world's biggest shipbuilder is now looking to expand its naval and special vessel business with state-of-the-art military vessels. “HD Hyundai Heavy

Nov. 22, 2023

LG Energy Solution names new CEO to propel growth

LG Energy Solution, the nation’s top battery maker for electric vehicles, said Wednesday that its board of directors has appointed President Kim Dong-myung as its new CEO starting next year. Kim, replacing the firm’s iconic leader Kwon Young-soo, is a chemical specialist who has been leading the aggressive overseas expansion in the burgeoning EV market in recent years. The new CEO joined the company, then a business unit of LG Chem, in 1998 to work at a battery research center. The u

Nov. 22, 2023

Hyundai opens innovation center in Singapore

Hyundai Motor Group on Tuesday opened the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore, which aims to transform the traditional auto manufacturing process and move closer to future mobility through automating vehicle production. “Singapore and Hyundai Motor Group have common innovative DNA to move into a better future,” said Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun. “Based on this, Hyundai Motor Group is looking to achieve innovation through human-centered technology

Nov. 21, 2023

[From the Scene] Hyundai Motor looks into future of auto production in Singapore

SINGAPORE -- When asked to picture an auto-manufacturing plant, one would easily think of multiple assembly lines filled with engineers and vehicle parts being transported to their next destinations. Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore, or HMGICS, is anything but that. Built to illustrate the future of vehicle production, the complex resembles more of a high-tech lab, filled with roaming autonomous robots, a massive smart farming system and a dizzying number of digital screens. Hyund

Nov. 21, 2023

Hyundai, Kia eye record vehicle sales in UK

Hyundai Motor Group is expected to post record sales in the UK, the second-largest automotive market in Europe, this year, according to industry estimates Monday. The carmaker sold 173,428 vehicles in the UK in the January-October period this year, up 8.7 percent from the same period last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders said citing corporate filings. Its market share stood at 10.8 percent. If the current sales momentum continues, the carmaker said, its car sales are highly

Nov. 20, 2023

Understanding Vehicle Type Approval: The importance of expertise in automotive cybersecurity

In this second installment of our series on automotive cybersecurity, we delve deeper into the strategic approach to regulatory compliance, focusing on Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) and its challenges. 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

Nov. 20, 2023

EcoPro, SK Ecoplant to build EV battery recycling plant in Hungary

EcoPro said Sunday it has joined hands with SK Ecoplant and its electronics waste recycling subsidiary, TES, to set up an electric vehicle battery recycling plant in Hungary. EcoPro CEO Song Ho-jun, SK Ecoplant CEO Park Kyung-il and TES CEO Terence Ng participated in the signing ceremony held at SK Ecoplant’s headquarters in Jongno, Seoul, Thursday. By 2025, the three companies will build recycling facilities in Hungary -- the first project under a business agreement made in March targetin

Nov. 19, 2023

Hyundai Motor becomes first brand to sell cars on Amazon

Hyundai Motor will become the first automaker to sell cars on Amazon, the company said, announcing a strategic partnership with the US e-commerce giant at a motor show Thursday. The two companies unveiled their plan at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show in a joint showcase, with Jose Munoz, global chief operating officer at Hyundai Motor Company, and Marty Mallick, Amazon’s vice president for Worldwide Business and Corporate Development, delivering the presentations. “This ideal partners

Nov. 17, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lotus bets big on Korea’s luxury car market

Group Lotus, the British luxury carmaker, on Thursday unveiled its first flagship store in the posh district of Gangnam in southern Seoul, renewing its commitment to South Korea, a market it left a decade ago after years of lukewarm sales. With its “second debut” in the Korean market, Lotus’ Asian chief showed high expectations about its growth here. “Next year, Korea will become the biggest market for us in Asia outside of mainland China and will overtake Japan, which cu

Nov. 16, 2023

Hyundai Motor chair wins top UK royal honor

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun has received the Order of the British Empire from Britain's King Charles III, the carmaker said Wednesday. Among the five classes of the order, Chung was awarded the Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Colin Crooks, British ambassador to the Republic of Korea, delivered the medal on behalf of the king at the British Embassy in Seoul. Chung was recognized for his accomplishments in low-carbon mobility expans

Nov. 15, 2023

[KH explains] Chinese battery makers gobbling up Korean rivals’ European market share

Amid a supply glut at home, Chinese battery makers are extending its reach deeper into Europe, the world’s second-largest market for electric vehicles where their Korean rivals used to be clear dominant players. Up until two years ago, Korea’s LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On owned a combined 70.6 percent of Europe’s burgeoning EV battery market, while Chinese firms had a tiny 6.7 percent, according to market tracker SNE Research. Led by world No. 1 battery manufacture

Nov. 14, 2023

SK On to furlough workers, cut production at US plant

SK Battery America, SK On’s US subsidiary, will furlough workers at its battery plant in Jackson County, Georgia, and cut down production amid the sluggish electric vehicle market, the South Korean battery maker said Tuesday. “SK Battery America is temporarily adjusting its line operations and furloughing a portion of our production employees,” said SK On. “We have taken the decision as a part of our efforts to optimize line operations and workforce management with flexib

Nov. 14, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai EV repair services ready

Hyundai Motor Company said Tuesday that the automaker has set up repair and check-up services for its electric vehicles at over 1,000 repair shops across the country. Named Bluehands, the repair shops have a separate station designed for EVs and at least one technician who has received the Hyundai Master Certification Program Electrified, a company-approved certificate for EV maintenance. The automaker said it plans to keep the EV maintenance services going at Bluehands for EV owners. (Hyundai M

Nov. 14, 2023

Responding to expanding vehicle cybersecurity needs, the core of CSMS and ISO/SAE 21434

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. 14, 2023

[From the Scene] Building 100-year heritage: Hyundai starts work on Ulsan EV plant

ULSAN – Hyundai Motor Group on Monday broke ground for a new plant at home – the first in 29 years – solely dedicated to producing electric vehicles. Earlier in the day, the world’s third-largest carmaker held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new plant in Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province, one of its key production and export sites, with its top executives, including Executive Chair Chung Euisun, in attendance. The EV plant will be built on a 548,000-square-meter site, ne

Nov. 13, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai on top again

Hyundai Motorsport's customer racing team BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse scored its fourth win of the season at the eighth round of the 2023 Kumho TCR World Tour, at the Mount Panorama Motor Racing circuit in Australia over the weekend, the South Korean automaker said Monday. Driver Norbert Michelisz crossed the finish line first in Race 2 in his Elantra N TCR to secure his third victory of the season. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Nov. 13, 2023

Hyundai stands as No. 2 EV player in U.S. market despite IRA

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group stands as the second-largest player in the U.S. market for electric vehicles (EVs) despite concerns surrounding Washington's protectionism policy, data showed Sunday. Hyundai Motor Co. took up 4.8 percent of the U.S. EV market in the January-September period, with its smaller sister Kia Corp. accounting for 2.7 percent, according to U.S. magazine Automotive News. Their combined market share came to 7.5 percent, or 64,000 units, taking up the second-l

Nov. 12, 2023

[Test Drive] Torres EVX presents all-around electric SUV

The Torres EVX, KG Mobility’s all-electric sport utility vehicle boasting well-rounded features, is poised to win the hearts of consumers looking for an affordable, multifunctional SUV powered by electricity. The Korea Herald had a closer look at the electric SUV and got behind the wheel during a test drive over a course of about 66 kilometers on Wednesday. The Korean automaker began mass production of the Torres EVX in early November. At first glance, the Torres EVX has similar vibes to t

Nov. 12, 2023

Sales of diesel vehicles down through Q3 amid EV popularity

Sales of diesel automobiles built by local manufacturers fell more than 20 percent on-year through the third quarter of 2023, data showed Sunday, amid the rising preference for electric vehicles in the market. South Korea's five carmakers sold 76,367 units of diesel passenger cars over the January-September period, down from 97,235 tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. By model, sales of diesel models of Hyundai Motor Co.&#

Nov. 12, 2023