[Test Drive] Mercedes-Benz’s new E-Class blends present with past

MUNICH, Germany -- Mercedes-Benz’s new E-Class has hit all the right notes, as the vehicle combines the decadeslong model’s traditional features and modern designs while putting the icing on the cake by applying the latest state-of-the-art technologies. The Korea Herald got to check out the E-Class 300e 4Matic, an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid vehicle of the German automaker’s new E-Class model, in a media test drive in Munich ahead of the IAA Mobility motor show, arguably the

Sept. 3, 2023

BMW Korea extends EV charging infrastructure

BMW Korea is investing heavily to expand its charging infrastructure for electric vehicles here. Since last year, the South Korean unit of the German carmaker has opened up a growing number of its own charging stations, branded as BMW Charging Stations, while offering special charging fees for new EV buyers. In December, the carmaker opened a large-scale charging station at its driving center in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, which can charge up to 80 EVs -- making it one of Korea's largest charging

Sept. 3, 2023

Hyundai, LG to double funding for Georgia battery plant

Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution are poised to inject an additional $2 billion to build a joint electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in the US state of Georgia, raising the total investment to more than $4.3 billion, the state government announced on Thursday local time. According to a press release by Georgia, with this expansion, Hyundai-LG’s joint battery plant and Hyundai’s EV manufacturing plant is set to bring around $7.59 billion in investment and create 8,50

Sept. 1, 2023

Renault Korea CEO aims high with hybrids

Amid fierce competition among carmakers in the Korean electric vehicles market, Renault Korea Motors vowed to accelerate the launch of hybrid cars running on an electric motor along with a gasoline engine until it boosts battery-powered vehicles in 2026. “Under our Aurora Project, we’re preparing for two types of batteries for hybrid cars and EVs. The company is working with battery suppliers inside and outside of Korea,” said Renault Korea Motors CEO Stephane Deblaise during a

Aug. 31, 2023

[Photo News] GM Korea chief visits Boryeong

Hector Villarreal (second from right), president and CEO of General Motors Korea, visited the company’s Boryeong plant in South Chungcheong Province on Wednesday to mark that the number of six-speed automatic transmission manufactures at the facility has reached 6 million units. The plant started to produce the transmission in 2007, as the first among the carmaker’s production facilities, and was recognized for its stellar production record by the Harbour Report indicator up to 2020,

Aug. 31, 2023

SK On co-develops more advanced lithium-ion conductivity

SK On announced on Thursday that it has developed in collaboration with Dankook University an innovative solid-state battery component that is expected to significantly extend battery lifespans and reduce charging times, with implications across industries, from portable devices to electric transportation. The component is a new oxide-based solid-state electrolyte called lithium-lanthanum-zirconium-oxygen, or LLZO, and boasts the highest lithium-ion conductivity to date. The findings of the rese

Aug. 31, 2023

Texas Instruments looks to bolster EV battery ties with Korea

Texas Instruments, the US-based semiconductor manufacturer, said Wednesday it plans to further boost business ties with electric vehicle manufacturers and battery makers in Korea. “I see Korea as a very key market for vehicle electrification and it is a key pioneer of battery technology as well,” said Matt Xiong, a product line manager for Texas Instruments’ battery management system, during an online media briefing. “We’re very closely engaged with Korean customers

Aug. 30, 2023

EcoPro touts 10-year battery materials partnership with Sony

EcoPro said Wednesday it has celebrated 10 years of supplying battery materials to Sony, later acquired by Murata Manufacturing. According to the company, it first supplied high-nickel cathode materials for Sony in 2013 for the first time for a Korean company. The two companies have kept business ties even after Murata, a Japanese electronics manufacturer, took over Sony’s loss-making battery business in 2017. EcoPro has been providing thousands of tons of nickel, cobalt and aluminum (NCA)

Aug. 30, 2023

Kia plant temporarily suspended after fire in paint shop

Kia Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, said Tuesday one of its eight domestic plants will be suspended until early September due to a fire in its paint shop. Eight industrial robots in the paint shop of Kia's No. 3 plant in Hwaseong, just south of Seoul, were affected by a fire Monday evening, a company spokesperson said. The No. 3 Autoland Hwaseong plant will be suspended until Sept. 6, he said. The plant produces the K5 sedan, the K8 sedan and the all-electric EV

Aug. 29, 2023

Hyundai Motor’s 3 startups spin off ahead of schedule

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that its three startups -- Pitin, Madde and Evacycle -- spun off less than a year after participating in the company's in-house startup incubator program. It usually takes more than a year for startups to become separate firms from their parent company, but they have shown great potential in the automotive and semiconductor business in just nine months, the carmaker said. Pitin has developed a battery subscription service using refurbished batteries for co

Aug. 29, 2023

[Photo News] New Audi Q4 e-tron

Audi Korea launched the latest models of its all-electric sports utility vehicles -- the Audi Q4 40 e-tron and Audi Sportback Q4 40 e-tron -- in the domestic market on Tuesday. The carmaker said the latest electric SUVs have longer driving distances per full charge than previous models, with the Audi Q4 40 e-tron capable of driving 411 kilometers and the Audi Sportback Q4 40 e-tron able to drive 409 kilometers. The electric SUVs are priced starting at 61.7 million won ($46,600). (Audi Korea)

Aug. 29, 2023

Kumho Tire giving momentum to EVs

South Korean tire maker Kumho Tire revealed a new commercial under the slogan “Your EV Partner, Kumho Tire” riding the increasing popularity of electric vehicles. The commercial addresses the company’s new tires specifically tailored for EVs. Compared to the internal combustion engine cars, EV-customized tires need to be strong enough to support heavier vehicles, better grip the road, and lower the noise levels. In the commercial, Kumho Tire introduces its cutting-edge technolo

Aug. 29, 2023

Posco Future M sets sales target of W43tr by 2030

South Korean battery materials maker Posco Future M on Monday pledged to secure 42 trillion won ($32.4 billion) in sales and 3.4 trillion won in operating profits by 2030, under a new vision of accelerating eco-friendly future materials business. “We are the one and only total solution provider for rechargeable battery materials that operates a value chain for mining, processing and recycling,” said Posco Future M CEO Kim Jun-hyung in a town hall meeting in Seoul. “Posco Future

Aug. 28, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai's double podium

Hyundai Motor's Avante N TCR, known as the Elantra in global markets, has achieved a double-podium finish, taking first and second place at the first final race during the 2023 TCR World Tour held at the Jose Carlos Bassi street circuit in San Luis, Argentina from Friday to Sunday, the South Korean automaker said Monday. The triumph marked the third time that Hyundai has taken the top trophy since the 2023 TCR World Tour began in April. With the latest victory, BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse m

Aug. 28, 2023

E-scooter-only lanes mulled for better safety

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Sunday announced a set of new guidelines to enhance the safety of personality mobility, or PM, vehicles such as electric scooters. As part of the ministry’s revision bill, the new guidelines will be applied for building new roads for better safety of both pedestrians and vehicles, especially dedicated lanes for PM vehicles. The revision mandates that when road management bodies conceptualize or revamp PM-only lanes, they

Aug. 27, 2023

[Test Drive] Hyundai’s Santa Fe returns with off-road updates

The first Korean-made sport utility vehicle, Hyundai’s Santa Fe, has returned with its biggest update since its debut in 2000, with improved off-road features in design and performance. Touting the All New Santa Fe as a mid-sized family vehicle that can cater to both city commuters and outdoor enthusiasts, the carmaker laid out an ambitious sales target for next year -- 135,000 units in North America, 16,000 units in Europe and 70,000 units in Korea. “From the beginning, the Santa

Aug. 27, 2023

All Mercedes-Benz’s cars contain piece of Korea: CEO

Mercedes-Benz Group CEO Ola Kallenius on Thursday touted South Korea’s level of automotive technology and the importance of the German automaker’s partnership with Korean companies. “Korea is hugely important for us. But not just in the battery cell space where we have strong partnerships for years,” said Kallenius in a press conference at Hotel Shilla in central Seoul. “This is one of the leading nations in automotive innovation and I don’t think we build a s

Aug. 24, 2023

Hyundai Mobis geared for IAA Mobility 2023

Hyundai Mobis, an automotive parts maker under South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group, said Thursday it is participating in the upcoming IAA Mobility 2023 to show off its vision of electrification at one of the largest automotive trade shows, in Germany. IAA Mobility will take place in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 5-10. This marks Hyundai Mobis’ second year attending the event, following its debut in 2021. Hyundai Mobis said it will display an array of over 20 advancements in electrifi

Aug. 24, 2023

SM6 Feel combines perks of popular Renault sedans

Renault Korea Motors' SM6 Feel sedan, an upgraded version that integrates existing SE and LE trims, has been gaining popularity in the domestic market as a stylish yet cost-effective option. The car company said Thursday that its SM6 Feel accounted for 71 percent of the total sales of its SM6 vehicles in the first half of the year. Prior to the model's launch, the carmaker surveyed customers to reflect their needs and preferences in the new trim. The new sedan adopts all the preferre

Aug. 24, 2023

EcoPro to set up joint venture with SK On, Ford in Canada

South Korean battery materials company EcoPro said Wednesday it is poised to set up a joint venture for a battery cathode materials manufacturing plant with SK On and Ford Motor Company in Quebec, Canada. Of the 1.2 trillion won ($897.3 million) investment, the joint venture, called EcoPro Cam Canada LP, plans to provide 600 billion won, while the Canadian government and Quebec will cover the other half in subsidies. EcoPro said the company will hold the largest stake in the joint venture compar

Aug. 23, 2023