One key word that describes the upcoming Seoul Motor Show will be eco-friendly as one-fifth of the planned vehicles to be introduced there will be fuel-efficient, the show's organizer said Thursday.

In the biennial motor show here, participating carmakers plan to promote 50 emission-free or less-emitting models amid a growing appetite for such cars among customers, the show's organizing committee said in a statement. 

The Seoul International Motor Show will kick off on March 31 and lasts through April 9 at the KINTEX exhibition hall in Goyang, just west of Seoul.

The eco-friendly models are three fuel-cell electric vehicles, 12 electric vehicles, 23 gasoline hybrid cars, 10 plug-in hybrid cars and one compressed natural gas car, the statement said.

Hyundai Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. plan to unveil their fuel-cell electric car models-- 'Future Eco fuel-cell electric vehicle concept' by Hyundai in its Asian premiere, CLARITY Fuel cell by Honda and LF-FC by Lexus, the luxury brand under Toyota, it said.

In a world premiere, Hyundai Motor also plans to introduce the Grandeur IG HEV as it seeks to gain a share in the gas-hybrid vehicle market currently dominated by Japanese carmakers, a committee spokesman said. (Yonhap)