BYD debuts $20,000 EVs on Hyundai's home turf

In push for expansion, Chinese EV giant slashes Korean prices to less than half of what they charge in US or Europe China’s electric vehicle juggernaut BYD has made a daring entry to South Korea -- the home turf of its Asian rival, Hyundai Motor Group -- with a competitive pricing strategy aimed at winning over local drivers who remain hesitant to go electric. BYD’s first Korean launch features the Atto 3 electric SUV, which is offered in two variants, basic and upper trims, with prices set at 3

Jan. 16, 2025

[Photo News] Hankook Tire for racing

Hankook Tire & Technology announced a three-year partnership with the FIA World Rally Championship to become the sole tire supplier for every category during the racing competition's 2025 season. Through its partnership with the WRC, Hankook Tire now is one of only a few global tire brands to support two of the five major FIA world championships, including the FIA Formula E World Championship. This year's WRC will mark the first time for competing cars to be running on Hankook Tire products in i

Jan. 16, 2025

Decoding black box from Korea’s crashed airplane

A joint investigation between Korea and the United States has been underway to figure out what caused the deadly Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash that killed 179 passengers and crew at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province on Dec. 29 with only two survivors on board. Joint investigative team The two countries have put together a joint probe team of 12 investigators from Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, one official from the US Federal Aviation Administration,

Jan. 15, 2025

Global EV slump to persist in 2025: Hyundai think tank

Chinese auto brands projected to continue to gobble up global market share The worldwide stall in sales of battery electric vehicles is expected to continue this year as demand for better-performing and cost competitive hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles rises, Hyundai Motor Group's Business Intelligence Institute said Wednesday. “We can’t really see a momentum that can bring out the growth of the EV market this year,” said Yang Jin-soo, head of the mobility industry research lab at the intellig

Jan. 15, 2025

Hyundai unveils first new Palisade in 6 years

Bolstered by hybrid variant of flagship SUV, Hyundai eyes 58,000 unit sales at home this year Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled the All New Palisade, the first revamped version of its flagship large-sized SUV in six years, featuring premium upgrades to its driving performance and convenience features. “The (All New Palisade’s) domestic sales target for this year is 58,000 units,” said Lee Cheol-min, head of the domestic marketing division at Hyundai Motor Company. “Given the preorder volume (of

Jan. 15, 2025

Hansung Motors expands three-day refund guarantee for all certified used cars

Hansung Motors, one of the top official Mercedes-Benz dealers in Korea, announced Wednesday the expansion of its refund guarantee system to cover all certified used cars, allowing refunds within three days of purchase. Last year, Hansung Motors became Korea's first imported car dealer to implement a three-day refund system. While the policy was previously limited to electric vehicles and best-selling models, Hansung now extends it to all certified cars sold at its showrooms nationwide. The polic

Jan. 15, 2025

Hyundai, Kia report record eco-friendly vehicle exports

Amid slowing EV sales, hybrids drive up export volume Hyundai Motor Group set a new record in exports of eco-friendly vehicles last year, bolstered by robust sales of hybrid models, the Korean auto giant announced Tuesday. The group said that a total of 707,853 eco-friendly vehicles, including battery-powered electric vehicles and hybrids, were exported last year, a 3 percent growth from a year ago. Compared to 2020, the export volume of eco-friendly vehicles has grown by 160 percent, and their

Jan. 14, 2025

Concrete installations found near 7 airport runways: Transport Ministry

Seven out of 14 South Korean airports have been found to have installed concrete structures similar to those involved in the recent deadly Jeju Air crash, according to a government inspection released Monday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s weeklong review revealed that nine facilities at seven airports have localizer housings that are difficult to break upon aircraft collision and require urgent improvements. On Dec. 29 last year, a Jeju Air flight returning from Bangkok ma

Jan. 13, 2025

Audi to launch record-high 16 new models in Korea this year

German automaker aims to regain presence, boost sales in local market Audi will launch record-setting 16 new models in the Korean market this year, as the automaker looks to turn around its falling numbers, Audi Korea said Monday. “In 2025, Audi will introduce the largest number of new models in its history to the Korean market,“ said Steve Cloete, executive director of Audi Korea, who took the country branch’s top post in May last year, in a media roundtable at the Shilla Seoul. “In line with A

Jan. 13, 2025

Hyundai Motor retains No. 2 spot in US EV sales after Tesla

Hyundai Motor Group ranked second in electric vehicle sales in the US last year, following the No.1 EV maker Tesla, with plans to boost local production amid the inauguration of Donald Trump. According to data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, Hyundai Motor Company and its smaller sibling Kia sold approximately 123,000 battery-powered vehicles in the US in 2024, achieving a 10 percent market share. Although there remains a significant sales gap with Tesla, which sold 591,400 unit

Jan. 13, 2025

Atto 3 expected to be BYD's 1st EV launched in Korea

The first model from Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD to be sold in South Korea is expected to be its compact sports utility vehicle the Atto3, while the world's largest EV maker is set to make an official entry into the Korean market on Thursday. The Atto 3 is expected to be the first to clear environmental regulatory hurdles among BYD's four cars being prepared for launch in Korea. It is likely to receive emissions and noise certification from the National Institute of Environmental Research

Jan. 12, 2025

Hyundai Motor donates $1m to Trump’s inauguration

Korean automaker follows in footstep of GM, Ford and Toyota to safeguard interest Hyundai Motor has decided to donate $1 million to the upcoming inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump as it seeks to bolster ties with the incoming leader looking to impose tariffs and strengthen protectionism. “Hyundai welcomes the opportunity to work with the new administration on policies that support American manufacturing, protect supply chains and spur innovation,” a Hyundai Motor spokesperson said S

Jan. 12, 2025

LG Energy Solution to supply W730b cylindrical cells to Aptera Motors

LG Energy Solution said Friday that it has secured an agreement to be the exclusive supplier of cylindrical battery cells for Aptera Motors, the California-based startup specializing in solar-powered electric vehicles. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for the supply deal on the sidelines of this week's CES 2025 in Las Vegas. CTNS, a Korean battery pack manufacturer, also plans to join the production. From this year to 2031, LG Energy Solution is set to supply 4.4 gigawatt-h

Jan. 10, 2025

Hyundai Motor, Nvidia to partner on AI-powered mobility, robots

Sources say new partnership to fuel Boston Dynamics' growth momentum Hyundai Motor Group said Friday that it has forged a strategic partnership with Nvidia, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of GPUs, to boost the applications of artificial intelligence across its business operations, spanning software-defined vehicles and robotics. Key executives, including Kim Heung-soo, head of global strategy office at Hyundai Motor Group, and Rishi Dhall, vice president of automotive at Nvidia, a

Jan. 10, 2025

Hyundai Motor to invest largest-ever W24.3tr at home this year

Auto giant allocates almost half of investment to R&D Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday announced its largest-ever annual investment of 24.3 trillion won ($16.65 billion) in Korea to secure and advance key technologies while increasing its production capacity for electric vehicles. The Korean auto conglomerate’s financial commitment for this year increased by 3.9 trillion won, or 19 percent, from the previous year. Hyundai Motor said it decided to make the larger investment this year to overcome o

Jan. 9, 2025