Faced with shifting US policy and trade risks, AESC — a Japan-based battery maker majority-owned by China’s Envision Group — has paused its $1.6 billion battery cell factory project in South Carolina, originally intended to supply BMW electric vehicles. The move underscores Korean battery firms as potential alternatives for the German automaker, given their accelerated push to expand US-based production. “Due to policy and market uncertainty, we are pausing construction at our South Carolina fac

Volvo's compact sport utility vehicle, the XC40, topped sales in its segment for the first half of this year, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association on Friday. The XC40 sold 1,105 units between January and May, outpacing strong competitors such as the BMW X1 (1,063 units), MINI Countryman (716 units) and Audi Q3 (475 units). Since its global debut in 2017, the XC40 has consistently been a bestseller, particularly in Europe, where it has led the premium compact SUV

Meyle, a German premium automotive parts maker, is ramping up efforts to expand its supply of electric vehicle parts to prepare for a surge in EV repairs in Korea. According to Meyle on Friday, the company announced a plan to expand its product portfolio to produce more than 4,000 components for electric and hybrid vehicles to meet growing global demand. Meyle's Korean office said it is focusing on strengthening industry-academic partnerships to train future technicians, and enhancing the capabi

Hyundai Motor Company’s Nexo SUV, the world’s bestselling hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, has returned with the first full-change model since its launch in 2018, embodying its 27-year-long hydrogen mobility vision. With upgrades on its powertrain system and convenience features, the All-New Nexo presents next-generation clean mobility beyond electric vehicles. “Last year, the (first-generation) Nexo accounted for 40,000 of 77,000 hydrogen fuel cell EVs sold in global markets,” said Kim Ho-joong, sen

Hyundai Motor and Kia will develop a next-generation connected digital tachograph, or DTG, for commercial vehicles in collaboration with Korea’s transport authorities to enhance convenience for drivers and road safety, the automakers said Thursday. The automakers signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Transportation Safety Authority to develop the advanced DTG system at the Hyundai Motor Group Namyang R&D Center earlier in the day.

Korea’s sport utility vehicle maker KG Mobility announced Tuesday that it is positioning hybrid electric vehicles as a key pillar of its future growth strategy, signaling enhanced participation in the segments gaining global traction as an alternative to battery EVs. The announcement was made during the company’s presentation of its mid- to long-term strategy at its headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Presenting its hybrid concept as “an electric vehicle without the need for charging,

Han Sung Motor, the largest official Mercedes-Benz dealer in Korea, announced Tuesday a series of customer-focused initiatives to mark its 40th anniversary. The programs aim to enhance customer engagement and expand brand experiences across its nationwide network. Established in 1985 as Korea’s first imported car dealership, Han Sung Motor has steadily grown to operate 19 showrooms, 19 service centers and 7 certified used car showrooms. Over the decades, the company has devoted itself to custome

Korea Zinc said Tuesday that it plans to acquire a 5 percent stake in The Metals Company, a Canadian mineral resource development firm, in a strategic move to reduce reliance on Chinese for sourcing critical minerals. Under the $85 million agreement, the company secured the right to purchase additional shares at a predetermined price, contingent upon TMC’s future market value and growth potential. Korea Zinc looks to counter the impact of the US decoupling from the Chinese supply chain for criti

The lime-green license plate, introduced last year to curb the misuse of high-priced corporate vehicles, is facing growing skepticism over its effectiveness, as it is increasingly seen as a symbol of success rather than a social stigma. The number of luxury imported cars registered under corporate names has jumped 27 percent this year, following last year’s sharp decline, which was widely attributed to the new plate system. The rebound has raised concerns that vehicles intended for private use m

LG Energy Solution announced Monday that it has secured an agreement to supply 46-series cylindrical batteries to China’s Chery Automobile, marking the first time a Korean company will power Chinese electric vehicles. Under the deal, LG Energy Solution will provide 8 gigawatt-hours of its new 46-series batteries — measuring 46 millimeters in diameter and between 80 and 120 millimeters in height — over the next six years, enough to power approximately 120,000 EVs. Mass production of the batteries

Deutsch Automobile Group, one of the biggest dealers in Korea’s auto import industry, is zeroing in on becoming a total mobility platform company based on customer-oriented data and technology over the next decade. “Going beyond the traditional concept of simply selling cars and doing repair works, my vision is to expand into a total mobility platform that can account for daily life of mobility such as (auto) sharing, subscription, finance, charging and digital experiences,” said Kwon Hyeok-min,

Hyundai Motor Company, Korea’s largest automaker, announced plans to expand its luxury brand Genesis into France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands with a lineup of electric models, accelerating its push into the European market, where traditional local luxury brands still dominate. The announcement was made on Friday during the 24 Hours of Le Mans — one of the world’s largest motorsports events — with Hyundai Motor Group Chief Design Officer Luc Donckerwolke and Xavier Martinet, head of Hyundai

BYD is looking to shake up Korea’s electric vehicle sector as the Chinese EV behemoth has become the second-largest EV seller among the 15 auto importers in the country with just a single model on offer. According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association’s data on Sunday, BYD sold 513 units of the Atto 3, a battery-powered compact sport utility vehicle, in May. This tops some of the strongest players here, such as BMW with 493 EVs sold, Mercedes-Benz with 145 EVs sold and e

Hyundai Steel, the automotive steel manufacturing subsidiary under Hyundai Motor Group, is set to supply steel sheets to GM Korea as early as September, following the automaker’s strategic decision to shift its supply chain away from China. According to reports on Friday, GM Korea recently informed China’s Baoshan Iron & Steel that it would be switching its steel sheet supplier. The company is carrying out quality certification processes before receiving the materials, estimated at 100,000 tons

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has appointed Laura Major as new CEO of Motional, its Boston-based autonomous driving joint venture with Aptiv, to advance the future mobility business. Underscoring Major’s previous position as chief technology officer of Motional, the automaker highlighted her new role in accelerating the company’s artificial intelligence technology capabilities ahead of the commercial launch of its autonomous driving service next year. Since Motional’s establishment in 2020,