Renault Korea and KG Mobility, the two underdogs in Korea where Hyundai and Kia cars dominate almost 90 percent of the market, are starting to edge in with their latest midsize sport utility vehicles. As consumer interest in smaller city cars declines, midsize SUVs are gaining popularity here, driven by increasing demand for larger, family-friendly vehicles and automakers’ focus on more profitable segments. According to September data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, K

Mobility Oct. 14, 2024

Hyundai Motor Group is celebrating four years of Chung Euisun’s leadership as executive chair on Monday. During this period, the automaker has experienced rapid growth, expanded into new markets and positioned itself as a major player in electric vehicles and future technologies. But new challenges lie ahead, particularly in software, robotics and urban air mobility. When Chung officially took over in 2020, Hyundai and its sister brand, Kia, were solid players but not exactly leaders in th

Mobility Oct. 13, 2024

Posco Future M has started operations at its new plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, dedicated to producing nickel-cobalt-aluminum cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. The plant, which shipped its first batch over the weekend, will help meet the growing demand for high-performance EV battery components. NCA cathode materials, with 88 percent nickel content, are key for making EV batteries more efficient. In January 2023, Posco Future M secured a 40 trillion won ($29.6 bill

Mobility Oct. 13, 2024

How can cities contribute to achieving carbon neutrality? According to Kim Young-rok, CEO of NineWatt, it is simpler than you might think. “When people think about energy efficiency, they often think of expensive, high-tech solutions,” Kim said. “But before you jump into cutting-edge technologies, the key is to optimize what’s already there -- the buildings you visit every day. The real question is: how do we do that efficiently?” Founded in 2019, NineWatt is a Kore

Companies Oct. 10, 2024

Hyundai Motor India is about to make history with a massive $3.3 billion initial public offering set for Oct. 22. This will be the largest IPO in Indian stock market history, and Hyundai plans to use the funds to ramp up production in the country and accelerate its push into the electric vehicle market. India’s stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, gave the green light for Hyundai’s offering Wednesday. The company will sell 17.5 percent of its Indian sub

Mobility Oct. 10, 2024

LG Energy Solution has secured a major long-term contract to supply electric vehicle batteries to a key affiliate of Mercedes-Benz. The deal, announced Tuesday, primarily targets North America and other key markets, although the exact regions were not specified. Under the terms of the agreement, LG will provide 50.5 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries over 10 years, starting in 2028. While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, industry analysts believe it likely reaches billions of dollar

Mobility Oct. 8, 2024

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly begun early-stage production of electric vehicles at its new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility, located near Savannah, Georgia. According to a report on Saturday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a major local newspaper in Georgia, Hyundai commenced production at the facility earlier last week. The company also reportedly held a private event on Thursday for employees to mark this achievement. The official completion ceremony for the plant is st

Mobility Oct. 8, 2024

Korean electrical equipment manufacturer LS Electric announced a partnership with Kyudenko, a Kyushu Electric Power Company subsidiary, to enter Japan’s growing battery energy storage system market. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel on Sunday, with LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-Gyun and Kyudenko Vice President Masaaki Jono in attendance. Kyudenko, based in Fukuoka, is a major player in Japan’s electrical construction

Industry Oct. 7, 2024

LG Energy Solution has reaffirmed its commitment to growing its presence in the rapidly expanding North American energy storage system market, aiming to capitalize on the region’s increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions. In a recent interview with UK-based industry publication Energy Storage News, Kim Hyung-sik, vice president and head of the ESS battery division at LG Energy Solution, outlined the company’s strategy for targeting North America. He emphasized the crucial r

Industry Oct. 6, 2024

A growing number of foreign automakers in Korea -- Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Audi among them -- are now cooperating with local authorities to improve EV safety by providing detailed information on their battery management systems in the wake of a serious electric vehicle fire in Incheon this past August. A BMS monitors EV battery safety by tracking key factors like temperature and voltage, preventing malfunctions, and reducing the risk of fires. According to information provided by the Korea

Mobility Oct. 6, 2024

SK Innovation, with its subsidiary SK IE Technology and researchers from Yonsei University, has developed a next-generation technology designed to capture carbon emissions more efficiently and at a lower cost. This breakthrough could have significant implications for the biggest carbon-emitting industries, such as power plants, steel mills and cement factories. The research, a collaboration between the SK Innovation Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, SKIET’s R&D Center,

Industry Oct. 1, 2024

Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Misk Foundation to develop young local talent and explore collaboration in smart city development. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday in the Saudi capital Riyadh, with the agreement formalized by Lee Jae-yong, head of smart city development at Hyundai’s Global Strategy Office, and Badr Hamoud Albadr, CEO of the Misk Foundation. The Misk Foundation, established in 2011 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohamme

Companies Oct. 1, 2024

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

Mobility Sept. 30, 2024

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

Mobility Sept. 27, 2024

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

Mobility Sept. 27, 2024