Genesis launches electrified G80 sedan in S. Korea

Genesis, the independent luxury brand of Hyundai Motor Co., said Wednesday it launched the electrified G80 midsize sedan in South Korea, debuting its first electric model. The luxury electric sedan looks similar to the G80, but an electric socket in the front grille gives it a distinct identity as an EV. The G80 EV packs an 87.2 kilowatt-hour battery and can travel up to 427 kilometers on a single charge, Genesis said. The sedan, only available with all-wheel drive, is capable of producing

July 7, 2021

‘More than 50 imported EV models to be unveiled in S. Korea by 2023’

Foreign car brands will introduce at least 54 electric vehicle models here by 2023, South Korea’s imported car association said Tuesday. New executives and board members of the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association noted a clear shift of the industry paradigm toward electrification at their first press conference since their inauguration last year, saying foreign players will be adding momentum to that by presenting more electricity-powered vehicles. “For me

July 6, 2021

Korean automakers face tough road ahead as workers plan for strike

As South Korean automakers move to embrace the trend shift for eco-friendly vehicles, they face difficulties in narrowing differences with labor unions seeking wage increase and job protection. The labor union of Hyundai Motor, the country’s leading automaker, said it is set to vote to strike Wednesday, after failing to reduce the gap in this year’s collective bargaining negotiations. In the 13th round of negotiations held this year, Hyundai Motor management suggested a proposal

July 6, 2021

LG Innotek wins nod from GM for four consecutive years

LG Group’s material and components maker LG Innotek has been recognized for the quality of its auto parts supplied to General Motors, the company said Tuesday. The South Korean firm received the 2020 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award, marking its fourth consecutive win dating to 2017. GM recognizes partners that meet standards of zero quality defects and strict quality control for automotive components with the award, as quality control is directly related to the safety of drivers,

July 6, 2021

[Behind the Wheel] With K9, Kia makes driving luxury

Kia’s premium flagship sedan K9 has returned with a major technological change, showing off how driving assistance can really make a difference behind the wheel. Often called the “car for CEOs,” the most luxurious model from Kia showed a solid performance, selling 10,878 units in 2019. But its sales dwindled to 7,831 units in 2020 as competition for the title intensified with vehicles from Genesis, the premium automotive brand of Hyundai Motor Group, namely the G80 and G90.

July 5, 2021

Hyundai to sell Staria minivan in Thailand this week

Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday it will begin the sale of the Staria minivan in Thailand this week as it strives to increase its presence in Southeast Asian markets. Hyundai also plans to begin introducing the Staria minivan in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia in the third quarter, a company spokesman said. Last year, Hyundai sold about 4,000 vehicles in Thailand and most of the vehicles were the Starex minivan. The Starex minivan is no longer in production. The maker of the Sonata sedan and t

July 5, 2021

Volvo Concept Recharge reveals what carmaker is going for with EVs

Volvo recently unveiled a concept car that shows where the automaker is going in its electrification drive. The Volvo Concept Recharge, which the firms described as “a manifesto for the next generation of all-electric Volvos,” introduces a host of improvements in car design, functionality and safety features. They include a much roomier interior made possible by the removal of the internal combustion engine and the adoption of the flat floor. By replacing a battery pack under the

July 4, 2021

Hyundai Motor, Kia record all-time high sales in US

Hyundai Motor and Kia witnessed all-time high sales in the United States in the first half of this year, the companies said Friday. The two automotive brands of the largest Korean automobile group sold a combined 804,944 vehicles in the US in the first half of this year, a 48.1 percent increase from a year earlier, according to Hyundai and Kia’s US branches. Hyundai Motor America said its sales grew 49.4 percent on-year, selling 407,135 units, while Kia America sold 378,511 units, up 4

July 2, 2021

Fleets of Hyundai Xcient fuel cell trucks exceed 1m km driving

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday its fleets of Xcient fuel cell trucks have surpassed 1 million kilometers of driving since they hit the roads in Switzerland nearly a year ago. Hyundai Motor has shipped a total of 46 Xcient heavy-duty truck trucks to the European nation since July 2020, which came in service for 25 Swiss companies in logistics, distribution and supermarket fulfillment. Over that distance, the hydrogen-powered trucks, which only emit water, have reduced carb

July 2, 2021

Hyundai, Kia's US sales up 44% in June

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. said Friday their combined sales jumped 44 percent in the United States last month from a year earlier on strong demand for their SUVs. Hyundai and Kia sold 140,951 vehicles in the US in June, up from 98,005 units in the same month of last year, the companies said in separate statements. Hyundai's sales rose 45 percent to 72,465 units last month from 50,135 a year ago, while Kia's also advanced 43 percent to 68,486 from 47,870 during the cited per

July 2, 2021

Renault Samsung’s diesel-powered QM6 offers quiet, eco-friendly driving

Renault Samsung Motors’ sports utility vehicle QM6 is becoming a popular choice for drivers, being offered in three different fuel types -- gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas -- Renault Samsung said on Thursday. Originally born to serve in battlefields, SUVs were loud and prone to vibration with their larger bodies and wheels, and often diesel-centered. The South Korean unit of the French automaker Renault was one of the fast movers to prepare for the exit of diesel cars, the

July 1, 2021

Korean Air to bid for military aircraft development project

Korean Air said on Thursday its aerospace division plans to bid to be the main contractor on South Korea’s new spy plane development project. The move comes as the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration has decided to launch a second project to replace four older Baekdu reconnaissance aircrafts with the newly configured Baekdu aircraft. The project, set to run from 2022 to 2026, is expected to cost around 870 billion won ($768.1 million). The Baekdu aircraft is a key

July 1, 2021

Samsung Heavy builds world‘s first fuel cell-powered LNG carrier

South Korea’s leading shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries on Thursday claimed to have built the world’s first solid oxide fuel cell-powered LNG carrier. It will now begin work on commercializing the ship, the firm said. The company also said it has received an approval in principle from Norwegian and German classification society DNV for the design of the SOFC-powered ship, which has been developed in collaboration with Bloom Energy. An approval in principle, also known as AIP, i

July 1, 2021

Overseas vacations in sight with signing of first travel bubble

South Korea will sign its first travel bubble agreement with Saipan on Wednesday, paving the way for quarantine-free international travel amid the pandemic. The deal will allow people from both places and their family members who have received vaccinations approved by the local health authorities -- Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca -- to go on a package tour without quarantine, starting sometime between late July and early August. Travelers are required to wait for two week

June 30, 2021

Korean Air named ‘2021 Airline of the Year’ by Air Transport World

South Korea’s national flag carrier Korean Air has been named the airline of the year by aviation publication Air Transport World, the company said Tuesday. The Seoul-based airline was chosen by an independent board of ATW and Aviation Week Networks editors and analysts for its leadership and ability to stay profitable throughout last year despite the industry’s unprecedented crisis during the pandemic, it said. A “remarkable” relationship with employees that allowed

June 29, 2021

S. Korea to hold a major global EV event in 2024

The Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition will take place in South Korea in 2024, the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers announced Monday. EVS, an annual event thought of as the Olympic Games of electric vehicles, is organized by the World Electric Vehicle Association to provide a platform for discussion and exchanges among automakers and researchers concerning major trends in the industry and cutting-edge technologies. The 2024 meeting will be the 34th installment of the event, sinc

June 28, 2021

Cash-strapped SsangYong Motor officially put up for sale

A controlling stake in SsangYong Motor has officially been put up for auction as the financially ailing company undergoes court receivership, the sale’s lead manager said Monday. EY Hanyoung, the accounting firm in charge of the sale, released a notice of sale announcing that it was receiving letters of intent from potential buyers until July 30. Under the sales plan, it will then run preliminary reviews of the bids from Aug. 2-27. A preferred bidder is expected to be chosen in Septem

June 28, 2021

Hyundai, Kia's cumulative EV sales top 200,000 units in Europe

Cumulative electric vehicle (EV) sales in Europe from South Korea's two largest automakers -- Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. -- have surpassed 200,000 units, company data showed Sunday. Hyundai and Kia, both under Hyundai Motor Group, had sold a combined 227,919 EVs in the European auto market as of May since they first began selling EVs there in 2014. Hyundai's EV sales reached 131,719 units, while those of Kia totaled 96,200 units. Their cumulative EV sales in Europe topped 10,000 units i

June 27, 2021

S. Korea aims to develop fully automated cars by 2027

South Korea's industry ministry said Sunday it has approved 53 projects with a budget of 85 billion won ($75 million) this year in line with efforts to develop fully automated cars by 2027. Around 373 organizations and 3,500 experts are expected to join the research projects, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. South Korea said the budget will be spent on developing automotive parts for self-driving cars, along with artificial intelligence software. The announcement came

June 27, 2021

Constitutional Court rules in favor of Tada ban

An amendment to a law that effectively suspended the operations of Tada, a homegrown ride-hailing service, was ruled constitutional by the Constitutional Court on Thursday, putting an end to a yearlong dispute in the transportation industry. In its judgment, the court said Tada’s service based on rented vans had “greatly increased social conflicts because it practically offered a taxi service without being subject to regulations affecting the taxi industry.” The law was ame

June 24, 2021