Kia Corp. on Tuesday announced it has appointed two former designers from Mercedes-Benz and BMW to head its design centers in Europe and China, respectively. Oliver Samson, previously with Mercedes-Benz, and Lim Seung-mo, formerly of BMW, will take on their new roles as head of the Kia Design Center Europe and head of the Kia Design Center China, respectively, on April 1. Samson and Lim will report to Karim Habib, executive vice president and head of Kia Global Design. The appointments are expec

After topping the sales charts in South Korea’s import car market last year, BMW Korea is looking to sustain its momentum with its new 530e, a plug-in hybrid model that is part of its 2024 eighth-generation 5 Series lineup. Introduced earlier this month, the 530e complements the 2024 lineup of gasoline, diesel, and electric models with its advanced plug-in hybrid technology. The 530e features a combination of a gasoline engine enhanced with BMW's TwinPower Turbo technology that uses a spec

EcoPro, a South Korean battery materials holding company, said Monday that it had invested $11 million for a 9 percent share in Green Eco Nickel, an Indonesian nickel smelter operated by Chinese battery materials firm GEM, to expand the supply of nickel, a crucial raw material for lithium-ion battery production. The Green Eco Nickel smelter, situated on Sulawesi Island in Indonesia, boasts annual production of approximately 20,000 tons of nickel. The investment will allow EcoPro to gain addition

Hyundai Motor Group revealed on Sunday its plans to double the number of its ultra-fast chargers for electric vehicles in South Korea to 500 by 2025. As of March, the group operates 286 E-pit EV chargers in 54 locations in Korea. This initiative kicked off in April 2021, with a modest yet strategic deployment of 72 chargers distributed over 12 key rest stops on highways. Achieving the 2025 target of 500 units would mean a 600 percent increase from 2021. E-pit is Hyundai Motor Group’s ultra

HD Hyundai commemorated the 23rd anniversary of the passing of its founder, Chung Ju-yung, with a dedicated memorial event held Thursday that paid homage to his enduring legacy. The tribute took place at the HD Hyundai Global Research and Development Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and was marked by a traditional statue unveiling ceremony in memory of the late founder. HD Hyundai Chairman Kwon Oh-gap, Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun, and executives from affiliates attended the ceremony. The ce

South Korean petrochemical firm Hanwha Solutions said Thursday it has developed a proprietary extra-high-quality voltage cable compound to meet the surging global demand for advanced power grid infrastructure. Petrochemicals, derived from petroleum or natural gas, form the basis for advanced polymers used as insulation in extra-high-quality voltage cables. The company’s innovation is Cross-Linked Polyethylene, or XLPE, which enhances the heat resistance and efficiency of power cables throu

NCSoft, a leading South Korean gaming firm traditionally led by its founder, Kim Taek-jin, as the sole CEO, mapped out its historic shift to a co-CEO structure, introducing Park Byung-moo as co-CEO to streamline operational efficiency and diversify its business portfolio amid significant financial difficulties. The two co-CEOs explained the dual-leadership strategy during a media briefing broadcast on NCSoft's official YouTube channel on Wednesday. Under this new arrangement, Kim will focus

LG Energy Solution, in collaboration with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, has made a significant breakthrough in lithium metal battery technology that addresses key challenges regarding its lifespan and safety. This new technology was detailed in the science journal Nature Energy and represents a considerable leap forward in lithium metal battery research and development. Lithium metal batteries are noted for their theoretical capacity advantages over lithium-ion batter

Kumho Tire recently introduced EnnoV, the company's newly branded lineup of tires designed specifically for electric vehicles, stepping up its game in the EV tire competition with Hankook Tire & Technology’s iON brand. The launch took place during the EnnoV Experience Day at the Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on March 15. EnnoV marks a significant rebranding effort by Kumho Tire, consolidating its EV-specific tires, including models su

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung on Friday said the automaker is set to lead the mass adoption of electric vehicles with the upcoming launch of the EV3, its most affordable model to date. “Despite recent fluctuations in demand, the future of electric vehicles is undeniable. Leveraging the success of our EV6 and EV9 models, we are poised to introduce the EV3 this year, finally delivering a viable option for the average consumer,” Song said in the company's annual shareholders' meeting.

KG Mobility, a stalwart in the South Korean sport utility vehicle scene previously known as Ssangyong Motors, has set an ambitious total sales goal of 147,000 units for this year, a 26.6 percent increase from last year, as it aims to penetrate overseas markets in Europe and Southeast Asia, away from its home turf dominated by Hyundai-Kia. By doubling down on its legacy of tough-looking, rugged SUVs, the company is incorporating cost-effective production strategies, including electrification, and

Sales of imported cars from luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Bentley have plummeted in South Korea during the first two months of 2024, coinciding with the government's implementation of lime green license plates for corporate-owned luxury vehicles worth over 80 million won ($61,500). The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association reported a 19.4 percent year-on-year drop in total imported vehicle sales in January this year to 13,083 units, marking the lowest

At the InterBattery 2024 conference hosted at Coex in southern Seoul last week, South Korea's prime battery companies -- LG Energy Solution, SK On and Samsung SDI -- collectively emphasized ultrafast charging as the critical breakthrough needed to shift the electric vehicle market from its early adopter phase to the mainstream. While the trio showcased distinct approaches to capturing the EV battery market, tech leaders from each company concurred during their keynote presentations at the c

South Korean battery materials maker EcoPro said Sunday it would invest 1.2 trillion won ($910 million) in its Pohang campus in North Gyeongsang Province this year to expand its comprehensive secondary battery supply chain, which covers everything from producing key components to recycling. The company plans to allocate 690 billion won to expanding its precursor plant, with additional funds directed toward increasing production of anode material at 32 billion won, lithium hydroxide production fa

LG Energy Solution on Sunday announced a partnership with Qualcomm Technologies to develop an intelligent battery monitoring system for electric vehicles, aiming to simplify battery management for EV owners. This collaboration merges LG's expertise in battery management with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform, which is a comprehensive suite of automotive solutions including connectivity, digital cockpits and advanced driver assistance systems. The new battery management sys

South Korean battery makers showcased next-generation battery solutions amid competitive pressure from Chinese counterparts and a decelerating electric vehicle market at Interbattery 2024, Korea's largest gathering for the battery industry. This event, which kicked off at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul on Wednesday, broke records, drawing an audience of 42,872 pre-registered attendees, a 77 percent increase compared to last year. LG Energy Solution took center stage with th

LG Energy Solution said Tuesday that KooRoo, its company-in-company operating the battery swapping station business for electric two-wheelers, is kicking off full-scale operations following a successful pilot program. KooRoo's service allows users to easily swap the depleted batteries of electric scooters for fully charged ones, seeking to offer delivery riders reduced operating costs and increased convenience compared to conventional vehicles. A recent pilot program in collaboration with d

Korean automakers are grappling to maintain their export momentum due to a shortage of car carriers to transport them, driven by the increasing volume of Chinese automotive exports and stringent maritime environmental regulations. The scenario has led to an unprecedented rise in the cost of chartering vehicle transport vessels. This comes as South Korea's auto production exceeded 4 million units for the first time in five years in 2023, with auto exports reaching a record $70.9 billion, con

InterBattery 2024, the largest battery industry exhibition in Korea, will take place at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from March 6 to 9, attracting 579 companies from 18 countries and nearly 75,000 attendees for a comprehensive showcase of innovation, industry conferences and networking opportunities. Organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association and COEX, this year's event marks the largest gathering in the event's history, showcasing 1,896 boot

LG Energy Solution, the nation's largest electric vehicle battery maker, said Friday that its Ohio-based joint venture plant with Honda has recently completed its steel framework, indicating a smooth ride ahead for the plant’s full operation slated for 2025. The companies held a ceremony in Ohio's Fayette County on Thursday to celebrate the completion of the steel framework for the facility, which means that the construction has moved from site preparation and laying the foundati