Amid the aggravating political sentiment between US and China over the imposition of Hong Kong‘s security law, South Korean conglomerates with overseas branches in Hong Kong can possibly seek to relocate their offices to different cities, a report said Friday.  On Thursday, US lawmakers unanimously approved new Hong Kong-related sanctions that would penalize banks which do business with Chinese officials, after the Chinese government imposed a security law that has been widely conde

Mobility July 3, 2020

Hyundai Motor announced Thursday the launch of a small-sized truck Porter 2-based camping car Porest, which can fit up to four adults. Porest -- a combination of “Porter” and “rest” -- was developed under the concept of moving house and will be launched next week here.  Amid increasing consumer demand for camping cars, the automaker said it has focused on making Porest’s interior space practical.  According to government data, the number of registered

Mobility July 2, 2020

Hyundai Glovis, a logistics unit of Hyundai Motor Group, said Thursday that it has clinched an exclusive five-year contract with Volkswagen Konzernlogistik, which deals in the logistics of European carmaker Volkswagen Group, for transporting their cars from Europe to China.  Volkswagen Konzernlogistik is based in Wolfsburg, Germany, and controls logistics, production and sales of vehicles from Volkswagen Group’s 12 finished car brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Bentley.&n

Mobility July 2, 2020

South Korea’s Hyundai Mobis said Thursday it has injected 25 billion won ($20 million) in Silicon Valley tech funds ACVC Partners and MOTUS Ventures, as part of its move to secure future mobility technology and next-generation business opportunities.  ACVC Partners and MOTUS Ventures have been actively discovering and supporting startups which focus on developing future mobility core technologies, including next-generation sensors, biometrics and robotics.  Hyundai Motor Group

Mobility July 2, 2020

Han Sung Motor, an official dealer of Mercedes-Benz in Korea, said Wednesday it has launched the AMG Playground membership club for its customers, offering opportunities for activities and networking among Mercedes-AMG owners.  AMG Playground has invited new owners of Mercedes-AMG vehicles to join the club. Those who purchased more than two Mercedes-AMG vehicles at Han Sung Motor since 2017 or those who have purchased a vehicle in the Mercedes-AMG GT lineup will be categorized as AMG Mani

Mobility July 1, 2020

Audi Korea said Wednesday the brand’s first electric-powered sport utility vehicle Audi e-tron 55 quattro has been launched in Korea.  Audi e-tron 55 quattro had its world premiere in San Francisco in 2018. Sales began in Europe in March last year.  As the brand’s very first all-electric SUV, the automaker said it focused on the vehicle’s power and high-efficient energy recovery function that works through two electric motors. Audi e-tron 55 quattro exerts a m

Mobility July 1, 2020

Hyundai Motor on Tuesday rolled out a face-lifted version of its signature midsized sport utility vehicle Santa Fe, which has been built on a new platform. The new Santa Fe is a refreshed version of the fourth-generation model that was launched in 2018.  The model has gone through drastic exterior and interior design changes, including the T-shape Daytime Running Light and a wide radiator grille which has been designed under a concept “Eagle’s eye,” according to the aut

Mobility June 30, 2020

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Tuesday it has launched the company’s latest electric vehicle model the New EQC 400 4MATIC Premium in Korea, following the first model the New EQC 400 4Matic launched in October here.  The latest model has been upgraded with the addition of a head up display function and a ventilation seat, as well as a leather interior. High-end audio brand Burmester’s surround sound system has been also added.  Mercedes-Benz’ unique infotainment system ca

Mobility June 30, 2020

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday it has tapped Martin Zeilinger, former head director at Daimler Trucks, to lead its research and development of commercial vehicles and hydrogen-powered electric trucks and buses.  Zeilinger will join the South Korean automaker as vice president from Wednesday. He has worked at Daimler Group for over 30 years, specializing in both engineering and advanced engineering of trucks and buses, as well as testing electric powertrains.  “I’m very

Mobility June 30, 2020

Korean budget carrier Eastar Jet founder Lee Sang-jik, who is also a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said Monday that the ownership family will contribute all their shares, worth around 41 billion won ($34.2 million), to Eastar Jet to “save the company,” amid growing uncertainty in an acquisition plan by fellow low-cost carrier Jeju Air, due to wage issues following the latest pandemic shock. But with the ongoing tit-for-tat argument between the two low-cost carrier

Mobility June 29, 2020

Hyundai Motor said Monday it has launched an upgraded midsized electric bus -- County Electric -- which can be used as a town shuttle bus or school bus for children.  The County Electric has been extended by 600 millimeters compared to the previous diesel version. An additional lithium-ion 128-killowatt-hour battery has been attached to the bottom of the 7,710-millimeter-long car body, the automaker said.  This allows the vehicle to travel up to 250 kilometers on a single full charg

Mobility June 29, 2020

South Korea’s low cost carriers have been opening more domestic routes to prepare for the upcoming summer holiday season, but the profitability of operating such routes remains questionable due to fierce competition over price, industry sources said Sunday.  After the latest COVID-19 outbreak, budget carriers have been focusing on expanding more domestic routes as part of an effort to secure liquidity in the short run.  Market data showed that the combined cashable assets of f

Mobility June 28, 2020

French automaker Renault Group’s flagship van Renault Master has achieved accumulated sales of 3 million units globally in 40 years since its launch, according to the local unit of the automaker Thursday.  Renault Samsung Motors said that last year over 124,000 units of Renault Master were sold in 50 countries, topping the van category of sales in Europe for five consecutive years.  The model’s interior can be modified depending on the purpose of the vehicle such as a ca

Mobility June 25, 2020

South Korean automaker Kia Motors has topped the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study in the US, securing the highest rank for six consecutive years as a mass market auto brand, the firm said Thursday. The J.D. Power IQS is a US study that began in 1987 and assesses vehicle product quality based on the problems experienced by owners during their first 90 days of ownership. Using the 223 criteria, a total of 189 vehicles from 31 brands -- 13 premium brands and 18 mass market brands -- have been eva

Mobility June 25, 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak around the world has had a profound impact on global supply chains and logistics. For example, the South Korean automotive, aviation and heavy industries that rely on foreign demand have shut down their operations and are suffering from constrained inventory control and capacity at sites. But the latest crisis is not the first time that the global supply chains have been significantly affected. Over the last decade, disasters like volcanic eruptions, tsu

Mobility June 25, 2020