Polestar debuts in Korea, targets premium EV market

Polestar, the former Volvo company that spun off to become its own brand, announced its launch in South Korea on Tuesday. Aiming to become the game changer of the local EV market that is seeing a growing demand for the green vehicles, the EV company will introduce its first model Polestar 2 on Jan. 18. Polestar 2 is a five-door fastback equipped with a 78 kWh battery and two electric motors that can produce 408 horsepower. “We will be introducing Polestar 2 to our Korean customers at

Dec. 21, 2021

[THE INVESTOR] Renault’s Master becomes game changer of domestic mini bus market

Renault Samsung’s Master van has become a popular choice as a school bus and as a camping car in South Korea due to its safety and customizable features. The Master van, first introduced in 2018 in South Korea, offered enhanced safety and a business solution for its customers, the company said on Monday. “Parents are relieved to see that we use Renault Master as our academy bus to pick up students. The van has a 3 point seat belt so our students feel safe and comfortable when ridin

Dec. 20, 2021

Competition heats up for used EV batteries

The competition to enter the used battery business for electric vehicles is heating up among domestic and global car and battery makers, amid market prospects that the market size would grow to hit 20 trillion won ($16.8 billion) in less than 10 years, data showed. According to data from SNE Research, a consulting firm based in Korea, the global market size of used EV batteries is anticipated to surge to 20.2 trillion won by 2030, up by 1,124.24 percent compared to two years ago. By 2050, it mi

Dec. 19, 2021

Hyundai, Kia say eco-friendly cars surpass 10% of their global sales

Hyundai Motor Group said Sunday that environment-friendly vehicles topped 10 percent of its global car sales for the first time this year amid growing demand for electric cars. The country's top automotive conglomerate said its two carmakers, Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., sold a total of 656,479 eco-friendly vehicles globally in the January-November period, 10.7 percent of their entire sales of 6.12 million units. The growth marks a sharp increase from 2015, when the annual sales of such ca

Dec. 19, 2021

Hyundai Motor unveils new platform for small mobility

Hyundai Motor Group unveiled its Mobile Eccentric Droid, or MobED, a small mobility platform using cutting-edge robotics technologies, Thursday. MobED has a flat rectangular body with four wheels that can each move independently so its body can remain stable even on slopes and bumpy roads. One of its features is the independent suspension of the wheels, which allows them to navigate a narrow and complex urban environment. MobED’s “Eccentric Wheel” system has three motors att

Dec. 16, 2021

Audi Korea launches EV, high performance models to highlight premium mobility

 Audi Korea sold a total of 21,242 cars from January to November this year, becoming the third-best-selling imported carmaker in Korea, the automaker said Wednesday. According to Audi Korea, it launched various premium and high-performance models such as sedans, SUVs, and electric vehicles this year to enhance its brand image in South Korea as a premium mobility brand. The carmaker accumulated its EV line up in South Korea by launching the Audi R8 V10 Performance in February, followed by

Dec. 15, 2021

Kia outpaces Tesla in Swedish EV sales

Kia Motors, the nation’s second-biggest carmaker, has claimed the No. 2 spot in EV sales in Sweden this year, outpacing its US rival Tesla. According to market tracker EU-EVs on Sunday, Kia sold a total of 6,018 EVs in the January-November period this year, becoming the second highest-selling EV brand with a 12.7 percent market share. At the top of the list was Volkswagen, which sold 9,296 vehicles for a 19.6 percent market share. During the same period, Tesla sold 5,666 EVs, claiming

Dec. 12, 2021

[Subway Stories] Subway made you late to work? Get proof from Seoul Metro

Seoul Subway Stories bring you interesting and informative stories about the subway in and around Seoul -- Ed. Carrying millions of commuters every day between Seoul and its sprawling suburbs, Seoul’s subway is known for its reliability. But if your train was delayed, making you late for work this morning, you can request an excuse letter from Seoul Metro. Records of train delays on Line 1 to Line 9 over the last 30 days are kept on the official Seoul Metro website. Only delays longer

Dec. 6, 2021

Auto journalists pick Genesis’ GV 60 as car of month

The Korea Automobile Journalists Association said Monday that it has chosen Hyundai Motor’s luxury brand Genesis’ GV 60, its first electric car based on its exclusive EV-dedicated modular platform, as its car of the month. Every month, the association selects its best model among new vehicles and updated versions that were launched within the past month, based on five criteria including exterior and interior design, powertrain performance, safety and comfort features, energy efficie

Dec. 6, 2021

[Newsmaker] S. Korea to increase number of highway EV chargers to over 1,000

South Korea will increase the number of electric vehicle chargers at highway service areas nationwide to over 1,000 by the end of 2022, the transport ministry said Sunday. Currently, there are 435 EV chargers at the country's highway rest stops. The government plans to increase the number to 730 by the end of this month and then add more than 300 chargers next year, it said in a press statement. The move is meant to help meet rising demand for EVs and the charging infrastructure, as the gover

Dec. 5, 2021

'Political blessing' needed to launch EARC

The biggest obstacles in implementing the East Asia Railway Community are stalled inter-Korean relations and geopolitical confrontation between China and the US, a former presidential adviser told a Transport Ministry forum Thursday. “The EARC is needed to overcome the continental-maritime divide along the Korean Peninsula, which is the old relic of the Cold War system, to open a new horizon of prosperity by tapping into the northern frontier to facilitate functional spillover effects on

Dec. 2, 2021

[Herald Interview] For Porsche, synthetic fuel is key for carbon neutrality

Porsche is not ready to let go of combustion engines. Engines are what make a Porsche a Porsche, an executive told The Korea Herald while visiting Seoul for a motor show. And in order to keep that forte while complying with the green agenda, the German carmaker is developing eFuel, a climate-neutral fuel produced with the help of electricity from water and CO2 from the air. “The market is full of combustion cars and they will continue to be made and driven in 2030,” said Thomas F

Dec. 1, 2021

Where did all the taxis go?

As the “living with COVID-19” strategy has opened up the economy, more people are now heading back to restaurants, bars and clubs. But while the streets are bustling and lively again, hailing a taxi at night has become a headache. Lim Bong-gyun, secretary-general of the Federation of Korean Taxi Workers, said many drivers employed by public hire taxi operators quit during the pandemic as they felt that continuing to work in the industry would mean working at a loss. “When th

Nov. 29, 2021

Seoul motor show presents future of sustainable mobility

South Korea’s biannual auto show kicked off Thursday with global carmakers showcasing sustainable, smart and sophisticated mobility to lure local drivers with future technologies designed to revitalize the pandemic-hit automotive industry. The Seoul Mobility Show offers its stage for one world premiere, five Asia premieres and 14 Korea premiers of six different local and foreign brands. About 100 car manufacturers and mobility companies from six different countries joined the show simulta

Nov. 25, 2021

Seoul Mobility Show to showcase 18 new cars

The Seoul Mobility Show, the only official motor show in South Korea, will kick off this Friday simultaneously at Kintex in Goyang and Paju in Gyeonggi Province as well as Seoul, showcasing 18 new cars. According to the organizer for the show, the exhibition will continue until Dec. 5 with over 100 automobile and mobility companies from six different countries taking part. The main exhibition at Kintex includes vehicles from Kia, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, BMW, Audi, Isuzu, Genesis, Porsch

Nov. 24, 2021

Sales of Volkswagen T-Roc show steady growth

Sales of Volkswagen’s small sport utility vehicle T-Roc have been steadily growing since its launch in South Korea in January, the company said Tuesday. The T-Roc version 2022 boasts enhanced features such as a two-color design with a black roof, a new audio system and a new engine. Offered at a reasonable price around 20 million won ($16,800), T-Roc sales stand strong in the domestic small SUV market. The 2022 version comes in six body colors with a black roof and black side mirrors c

Nov. 23, 2021

Renault Samsung says QM6 offers convenient winter drive

Renault Samsung Motors’ sport utility vehicle QM6 is becoming a popular choice for winter travel, as it offers a silent and convenient driving experience to drivers and leaves less of a carbon footprint, the company said Monday. The SUV, powered by gasoline or liquefied petroleum gas, has been the bestselling vehicle in its category. The gasoline-powered QM6 model first introduced in 2017 recorded top sales among midsized gasoline SUVs after just a year. Gas-powered SUVs were previously

Nov. 22, 2021

Hyundai Motor chief to offer 40,000 youth jobs during PM’s visit

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun is likely to address the company’s plan to create some 40,000 jobs for young people during his meeting with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum scheduled for Monday. The prime minister plans to visit Hyundai Motor Studio in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, as part of the government’s youth support campaign. The meeting is also to be attended by Employment and Labor Minister An Kyung-duk, Minister for Government Policy Coordination Koo Yun-cheol and Hyu

Nov. 21, 2021

Korea Airports Corporation close to signing a deal to operate airport in Ecuador

Korea Airports Corporation said Friday that it is close to signing a business deal with the Ecuadorian government to operate Manta Airport. A negotiation team is currently visiting Ecuador for talks to finalize the deal, the corporation said. The deal, which is estimated to be worth 40 billion won ($33.76 million), will see the corporation acquire a 100 percent stake and operate the airport until 2051. A local corporation will be set up to manage and operate the airport’s facilities, in

Nov. 19, 2021

Singapore Airlines celebrates first flight for vaccinated travel lane with Korea

Singapore Airlines celebrated the kickoff of the vaccinated travel lane between South Korea and Singapore with Flight 601 during a commemorative ceremony earlier this week. The event was held Tuesday in front of Gate 23 of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1. The ceremony was attended by Eric Teo, Singaporean ambassador to Korea; Jeon Hyoung-wook, vice president of the operations division at Incheon International Airport Corporation; Xavier Ho, general manager at Singapore Airline

Nov. 19, 2021