[KH Explains] Korea pursues ‘fire-free’ batteries amid EV fears

Ever since a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle burst into flames in Incheon in August, an “EV phobia” has gripped drivers here. Less than two weeks from the massive fire, Hyundai Motor Group, the nation’s largest carmaker, preemptively disclosed the list of its EV battery manufacturers, prompting its foreign rivals to hustle to reveal their respective battery origins. A series of safety measures have also been unveiled from a new battery certification system to EV charger upgrades

Oct. 1, 2024

[KH Explains] Is Hyundai-GM partnership win-win to beat Tesla, Chinese rivals?

Hyundai Motor Company and General Motors seem like very different automakers. One is a South Korean juggernaut known for its efficiency and clean design, while the other is a symbol of American muscle, built on a century of dominance in trucks and sport utility vehicles. Yet earlier this month, these two giants signed a sweeping partnership. “In a time of intense competition from Tesla and an ever-growing Chinese EV threat, Hyundai and GM are probably betting that their combined strengths

Sept. 30, 2024

Hyundai Motor hits 100m vehicle milestone

Hyundai Motor Company marked the global cumulative production of 100 million cars Monday, a landmark record coming 57 years since the carmaker’s foundation. The company held a celebratory event at the car manufacturing plant in Ulsan earlier in the day, joined by Lee Dong-suk, head of domestic sales and chief strategic officer at Hyundai Motor Group, and Moon Yong-moon, head of the company’s labor union. The executives and staff marked the production of the first car after passing th

Sept. 30, 2024

Air mobility leaders to convene in Dubai next week

Global leaders in advanced air mobility are heading to Dubai for the fifth edition of the Airtaxi World Congress, slated to take place at the Grand Hyatt Dubai Conference & Exhibition Center from October 7-10. The next-generation clean air mobility event is expected to gather about 1,000 major players in the AAM sector such as airlines, airports, original equipment manufacturers, startups, investors and regulators. This year’s event participants include the US Federal Aviation Administ

Sept. 30, 2024

LG Energy Solution wins battery quality award in China, beating CATL, BYD

LG Energy Solution has been recognized in China for delivering the most high-quality electric vehicle batteries by the 2024 China Automotive Quality Research Awards, surpassing local manufacturers CATL and BYD in this category. The award ceremony, held in Beijing on Tuesday, was organized by Chinese automotive media platform CheZhiWang and Car Research Consulting Beijing, a Chinese automotive think tank established in 2017. The awards were based on consumer surveys, evaluating 128 vehicle models

Sept. 27, 2024

Posco Future M, GM push back timeline for Canadian battery materials plant

Posco Future M and General Motors have pushed back the completion of their cathode material plant in Canada, which is part of their joint venture, Ultium CAM. Originally scheduled to be finished by the end of this month, the plant’s completion has now been delayed to a yet-to-be-determined date. Posco Future M announced the delay on Friday, citing "local conditions" without providing specific details. The plant, located in Becancour, Quebec, is set to produce high-nickel cathode

Sept. 27, 2024

[Photo News] Kia's first EV-only plant

Hyundai Motor Company’s smaller affiliate Kia on Friday unveiled the carmaker's first electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Ramping up production of the compact EV3 sport utility vehicle, Kia plans to produce a mid-sized sedan model, the EV4, next year. The 401.6 billion won ($304.2 million) facility has an annual production capacity of 150,000 units. (Kia)

Sept. 27, 2024

Hyundai Mobis wins cybersecurity certification in Europe

Hyundai Mobis has become the first automotive parts supplier in Asia to receive a cybersecurity certification from ENX Association, bolstering its chances of securing orders worldwide. According to the auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group Thursday, it held a cybersecurity certification presentation ceremony at its technology research center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province with representatives from the European association in attendance. Members of the ENX Association include powerhouse

Sept. 26, 2024

Hyundai Motor, EcoPro BM to develop LFP battery tech

Hyundai Motor Group said that it is partnering with battery materials company EcoPro BM on Thursday to develop its own lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, batteries for electric vehicles. Executives from Hyundai Motor Group, EcoPro BM and Hyundai Steel -- the carmaker’s steel manufacturing affiliate -- met Wednesday in Daejeon to discuss details on the joint research and future cooperation. With the strategic partnership, which is part of the four-year project supported by the Ministry of Trad

Sept. 26, 2024

[Photo news] Faker Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz Korea presented a custom Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4Matic+ to esports star Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok on Thursday, celebrating his induction into the League of Legends Hall of Legends. Tailored through the bespoke Manufaktur program, the one-of-a-kind roadster features Faker’s signature and Hall of Legends detailing. Powered by a 4.0-liter V8 engine with 585 horsepower, the car is intended to mirror Faker’s agility and precision in gameplay. Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO M

Sept. 26, 2024

[Hello India] Hyundai Motor inches closer to IPO in India

Hyundai Motor is one step closer to making a successful debut on the Indian stock market, as the South Korean auto giant’s Indian subsidiary Hyundai Motor India Limited has obtained approval for its highly-anticipated initial public offering from Indian regulators. According to industry sources and local media outlets in India on Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Board of India recently cleared Hyundai Motor’s paperwork for the IPO. In June this year, Hyundai Motor India submitt

Sept. 25, 2024

Hyundai Glovis, China’s BYD join forces on logistics

Hyundai Glovis, Hyundai Motor Group’s logistics and distribution subsidiary, said Wednesday it had partnered up with China’s BYD, the world’s biggest electric vehicle maker, on automotive transport across the ocean. Kim Tae-woo, managing director of the shipping division at Hyundai Glovis, and Wang Junbao, general director of the corporate division at BYD, participated in a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding on Monday at BYD headquarters in Shenzhen, China. Base

Sept. 25, 2024

Kia to debut PV5 electric van in Japan in 2026

Hyundai Motor Company’s smaller sibling Kia is poised to enter Japan’s purpose-built vehicle market, a tricky segment already crowded with Japanese rivals. Kia said Tuesday it joined hands with Japan-based trading company Sojitz to launch its PV5 van, the carmaker's first PBV model built on an electric vehicle platform, in Japan in 2026. The car's Japanese debut hopes to benefit from the country’s net-zero goals. Currently, Japan offers hefty incentives to EV buyers

Sept. 24, 2024

Korean automakers pressured to diversify supply chains as US bans Chinese tech

Starting in the second half of 2026, the US will ban the sale of connected cars using Chinese-made software, with further restrictions on hardware to begin in 2029, a move that will pressure global automakers, including South Korea’s Hyundai Motor and Kia, to diversify their supply chains. On Monday, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security announced a proposed rule that would prohibit the sale and import of connected vehicles containing Chinese or Russian soft

Sept. 24, 2024

SK On eyes first profit as it begins US production for Hyundai EVs

SK On will begin mass production of electric vehicle batteries for Hyundai Motor Co. in the US next month, a move expected to help the battery maker turn a profit for the first time after years of losses. The company’s US unit, SK Battery America, will reportedly begin partial production at its Georgia Plant 2, supplying batteries for Hyundai’s new EV production facility, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, also located in Georgia. According to industry sources on Monday, SK On ha

Sept. 23, 2024

Hyundai Motor chief visits Czech plant to boost EV offerings in Europe

Hyundai Motor Group's Executive Chairman Chung Euisun visited the company’s Czech manufacturing plant last Thursday to assess Hyundai’s European operations as part of a state trip with South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol. During the trip, Hyundai Motor Group also signed several memorandums of understanding with Czech companies and universities to collaborate on future mobility initiatives, including hydrogen energy and advanced automotive technologies. This was part of a large

Sept. 22, 2024

[KH Explains] Can smart chargers ease tensions over EV fires?

Electric vehicle owners in South Korea’s crowded apartment complexes are beginning to feel like social outcasts. “In my apartment, EV users are sometimes treated like criminals,” said Lee Ho-deok, an EV owner living in a large apartment complex in Seoul’s Mapo district, when describing the tense atmosphere. In a city where over 85 percent of the population lives in multi-unit housing, apartment residents already contend with longstanding issues like noise between floors.

Sept. 22, 2024

Illegal drones cause 122 flight disruptions in four years

A total of 122 flights have been disrupted due to illegal drone activities over the past four years, data showed Thursday, prompting calls for stricter measures and penalties. From September 2020 to August 2024, a total of 506 cases of unauthorized drone activities were detected in the airspace around airports, and 122 cases affected flight operations, according to data from the Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation, submitted to Rep. Ahn Tae-jun of the main op

Sept. 21, 2024

Hyundai Motor bolsters hydrogen push in Czech

Hyundai Motor Group has renewed its commitment to the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles industry in the Czech Republic, a booming market for the clean mobility sector. Ken Ramirez, vice president of global commercial vehicle and hydrogen Business division at Hyundai Motor Group, and Skoda Electric CEO Jaromir Silhanek participated in the signing ceremony held in Prague on Friday to join forces in hydrogen-powered mobility. The partnership agreement comes during South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol&rsq

Sept. 20, 2024

Korean battery makers zero in on global commercial EV market

Korean battery makers Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution are putting considerable effort into boasting their latest technologies in the commercial electric vehicle sector at the ongoing IAA Transportation 2024 in Hanover, Germany. The IAA, currently being held from Sept. 17-22, is one of the largest auto exhibitions in the world and alternates its focus between passenger and commercial vehicles each year. This year’s theme is commercial vehicles. Samsung SDI has presented a lineup of nex

Sept. 18, 2024