Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, Kia’s EV6 named most competitive EVs

Hyundai Motor Group’s electric SUV models Ioniq 5 and EV6 have been picked as the most competitive electric SUVs in a ranking by the German automotive magazine Auto Zeitung, beating the same segment models from Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and Polestar, the carmaker said. Auto Zeitung’s latest edition compared Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, Kia’s EV6, Polestar’s Polestar 2, Tesla’s Model Y and Mercedes-Benz’s EQB, based on the categories of driving comfort, powertrain, dr

Feb. 27, 2022

[Photo News] ON VIENNA ROAD

Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen-powered fuel cell bus Elecity FCEV provides public transport in Vienna in this picture released Sunday.  Austria’s public transportation corporation Wiener Linien began running the eco-friendly bus on its most crowded bus route, according to Hyundai.  The Korean carmaker’s supply of Elecity FCEV is part of the Austrian government-led hydrogen infrastructure expansion project called HyBus Project. Starting with the delivery of three E

Feb. 27, 2022

Preorders start for Genesis GV70 EV

Hyundai Motor’s standalone luxury brand Genesis said Thursday it has started getting preorders for the Electrified GV70, a full-electric version of its mid-sized SUV GV70. The new car is priced at 73.32 million won ($61,232). With the government’s EV subsidies, local drivers can purchase the car for under 66 million won. Equipped with a 77.4 killowatt hour battery pack, the Electrified GV70 offers a range of up to 400 kilometers on a single charge. It can be charged up to 80 per

Feb. 24, 2022

Budget airlines turn to cargo shipping, long-haul flights for breakthrough

The nation’s low-cost carriers facing financial difficulties caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic are bringing in cargo planes and planes for long-haul flights to diversify their source of revenue. T’way Air, for instance, will introduce on Thursday Airbus A330-300 planes that can cover long-haul distances for more than 300 passengers. The plane will begin to operate within the country in March and then be used for longer routes to Singapore, Australia, Croatia, and Kyrgyzstan

Feb. 21, 2022

[KH Explains] Why is the auto industry still short on chips?

For automakers in Korea, there is no sign the prolonged automotive semiconductor shortage will abate this year. Those who have purchased a new Genesis, for instance, have been notified that the car will take six to 12 months to be delivered –- if they are lucky. GM Korea’s second Buypeong plant in Incheon cut production volume by half earlier this month. And according to the market, this delay in car production due to the chip shortage may continue in the next year or even the year

Feb. 21, 2022

Korean Air to use aviation fuel with smaller carbon footprint on Paris route

Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier, said Friday it will use more environmentally friendly aviation fuel on its Incheon-Paris route as part of efforts to join global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The move to use the so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the route comes as Europe and the United States are leading efforts to build SAF production facilities and supply the fuel to cut greenhouse gas emissions from flights. "The company has decided to adopt SAF on t

Feb. 18, 2022

Korean auto journalists name Genesis G90 car of the year

Korean journalists covering the auto industry on Tuesday chose Genesis G90 as the car of the year, saying the vehicle pioneers a new direction for luxury sedans. The fully revamped G90 launched in January scored 84.07 out of 100 for its sophisticated designs as well as its advanced driver-assistance technologies that add value to the driving experience, according to the Korea Automobile Journalists Association. The G90 was among 21 vehicles competing for the annual event that assessed 10 feat

Feb. 16, 2022

[Herald Interview] Volvo out to attract women to logistics while leading switch to electric trucks

Volvo Truck Korea is looking beyond numbers as it plans to deliver Korea’s first large-size electric truck.  Park Gang-serk, Managing Director of the Swedish commercial vehicle brand's Korean office, said the company wants to add diversity to the commercial vehicle industry by having more women drivers and mechanics. “The existing cargo, logistics industry has been considered the world of men. Volvo Truck Korea will change such perceptions and invite more women professio

Feb. 14, 2022

Korean Air to fly first 737 Max aircraft in March

Korean Air said Monday that it will start operating its first Boeing 737 Max aircraft from March following the plane’s arrival in Seoul Sunday. The upcoming launch comes as airlines around the world are bringing the Boeing jet back into service almost two years after a system failure led to two fatal crashes. Boeing has said it has drastically improved the plane’s flight stabilizing program while enhancing pilot training. With its enhanced safety features, airlines resumed flying

Feb. 14, 2022

GM Korea adds Traverse High Country model to its SUV lineup

GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., said Monday it has added the Traverse High Country sport utility vehicle to its lineup to boost sales amid the extended COVID-19 pandemic. The Traverse SUV's top trim model is being manufactured in GM's Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan and has been shipped to Korea for local sales. In 2019, GM Korea introduced the Traverse's US-built lower-trim models to strengthen its imported SUV lineup, separately from the locally assembled mo

Feb. 14, 2022

S. Korean car exports to Australia shows recovery

South Korean car exports to Australia are booming with the Australian economy, thanks to Australia’s recovery course from COVID-19, and companies’ local marketing strategies. According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association on Sunday, a total of 137,547 domestic cars were exported to Australia last year, showing a 19.3 percent increase from 2020. By brand, Hyundai Motor’s exports increased by 11.1 percent on-year to 66,846 units in 2021, and Kia’s increased b

Feb. 13, 2022

Renault Samsung names new CEO

Renault Samsung Motors said Friday that Renault Group has named Stephane Deblaise, the former vehicle program director at the French headquarters, as a new chief to lead the Korean business.  The 49-year-old who served Renault’s advanced project and cross-car line program director until recently will assume the new role from March 1.  Deblaise is joining the Korean unit as the first CEO with an engineering background. He also served as Renault’s chief engineer to oversee

Feb. 11, 2022

Kia tops JD Power’s reliability study

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday Kia Motors has topped JD Power’s reliability study for the first time, outpacing all rivals in the mass-market and premium segments.  Kia ranked first in JD Power’s 2022 US Vehicle Dependability Study, while its bigger sister Hyundai Motor came third. Genesis, which has become an independent luxury brand, ranked fourth overall, topping the premium segment.  The second place was taken by GM’s Buick brand.  This year’s JD P

Feb. 11, 2022

Korean Air, Airbus, Air Liquide, Incheon Airport join hands for carbon-neutral aviation

Key stakeholders in the nation’s aviation industry -– Korean Air, Airbus, Air Liquide and Incheon International Airport Corp. -– have joined hands to prepare for a roadmap for carbon-neutral aviation. The four parties on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding, under which they agreed to speed up plans to introduce hydrogen fuel and build related infrastructure at airports. The event was attended by Korean Air’s Executive Vice President and Chief Safety & Op

Feb. 10, 2022

Asiana Airlines certified 5-Star Airline for 16 years

Asiana Airlines said Wednesday that it has been certified by Skytrax, a leading review site for airlines, as a 5-Star Airline for the quality of its airport and onboard product and staff service. The airline has been winning the highest rating for 16 consecutive years since 2007. This year, Asiana Airlines has also been certified with the highest Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating that reviews airline health, hygiene, and cleanliness standards. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, t

Feb. 9, 2022

Korean Air-Asiana merger takes step further with Singapore approval, FTC’s imminent decision

A merger between South Korea’s two biggest air carriers picked up pace on Wednesday after they received an unconditional approval from Singapore and as a final decision by the Fair Trade Commission approaches next week. According to Korean Air, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore concluded that the air carrier’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines will not infringe Singapore’s Competition Act. The decision comes after the CCCS conducted a public consultation last

Feb. 9, 2022

Kia to launch 6 EVs by 2027 via joint venture renewal in China

Kia, South Korea’s second-largest automaker, will launch six electric vehicle models by 2027 in China by renewing its joint venture in the country, where it has been losing presence in recent years over soured bilateral ties between Seoul and Beijing. Starting with the EV6 next year, Kia will bring new battery-powered vehicles each year and realign its strategic models with bigger vehicles that are more globally popular such as the Carnival and Sportage. The new China plan was released

Feb. 7, 2022

Mercedes-Benz fined W20.2b for emissions fiddling

Mercedes-Benz has been fined 20.2 billion won ($16.84 million) by the nation’s antitrust watchdog for fiddling with emissions readings in its diesel cars here. According to the Fair Trade Commission on Sunday, the German luxury carmaker falsely advertised some of its diesel vehicles as capable of reducing 90 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions, the main culprit of fine dust, and that it satisfies Euro 6 environmental standards. These claims were advertised extensively through the brand&

Feb. 6, 2022

[Subway Stories] Passengers down by 25% last year amid pandemic

Seoul Metro saw the number of passengers drop by 25 percent last year compared to pre-pandemic levels, new data revealed on Thursday. The subway operator said some 1.95 billion passengers used the city’s subway system in 2021, which also connects to neighboring areas such as Incheon and Gyeonggi. The figure stood at 2.67 billion in 2019 and 1.93 billion in 2020, based on the subway lines operated by Seoul Metro. This highlights the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on one of the largest s

Feb. 3, 2022

[Test Drive] With the all-new Kia Niro, Kia steps closer to sustainable mobility

The design of the all-new Kia Niro did it all to captivate young drivers, not to mention its fuel efficiency and comfortable driving experience. Looking very much like Kia’s concept car HabaNiro, the all-new Kia Niro infused its ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy into the environmentally friendly SUV by making the body two-toned with a bold boomerang-shaped Aero C-Pillar at the rear that completes the futuristic design of the car. During its four-day long preorder, a total

Jan. 28, 2022