Fuel cell technology plays pivotal role for Hyundai Motor Group’s effort to transform into a mobility firm

‘Dream team’ of KAC, Hanwha, SKT and KOTI to accelerate efforts to commercialize air taxis

Honda Korea Co., the South Korean unit of Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co., said Thursday it will focus on reviving lackluster sales this year by launching new gasoline hybrid models amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic. Honda Korea has launched the new all-wheel CR-V hybrid SUV and the upgraded Accord hybrid sedan to regain a share in the Korean market, where its sales plunged 65 percent to 3,056 vehicles last year from 8,760 a year earlier. "We are targeting to sell 3,000 hybrid mod

SsangYong Motor Co., the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said Thursday that its Indian parent company is still in talks to sell its controlling stake, denying media reports that the deal has fallen through. SsangYong Motor made the statement in response to media reports that Mahindra and HAAH Automotive Holdings, Inc., a California company that imports vehicles for the US market, have failed to reach a compromise for the deal and notified SsangYong's main cred

Mercedes-Benz Korea will launch nine new models this year, including two electric vehicles, aiming to re-create the sales success of last year, the automaker said Wednesday. This year, the German brand will augment its flagship luxury sedan lineup by launching new C-Class and S-Class models. Also coming to local consumers this year are the revamped CLS, the four-door coupe and a new engine variant for the G-Class, the G 400 d. The automaker is also planning to roll out two pure electric v

The Transport Ministry will investigate the cause of a fire involving a recalled unit of Hyundai’s Kona electric vehicle, as well as the propriety of the car maker’s recall measures, the ministry said Tuesday. On Saturday, a Kona EV caught on fire for an unknown reason, while it was charging in a public charging station in Daegu. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the car had been recalled by the automaker. It decided the car should be investigated b

Two major South Korean duty-free operators, Lotte and Shilla, will close their stores at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 1 next month, leaving more empty space at the airport. Both Lotte Duty Free and Shilla Duty Free’s leases expired in August but were extended for an additional six months after new bidders backed out before signing contracts, as the worsening coronavirus pandemic threatened prospects for duty-free shopping businesses. With the possibility of further extensions off th

Air traffic volume in South Korea halved year-on-year in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Sunday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the number of flight operations last year totaled 421,000, down 50 percent from 2019. The volume on domestic routes fell 10.4 percent to 221,000, while international flights plummeted 66.4 percent to 200,000. Air traffic had been steadily increasing, from 739,000 flights in 2016 to 842,000 in 2019. Operations beg

Hyundai Glovis, a vehicle delivery arm of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, is pushing deeper into the East Asian freight and logistics market. The company, which in 2009 opened its third overseas office in Vietnam, has recently clinched a deal to build a logistics center in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the agreement, Hyundai Glovis will team up with Ulsan Port Authority to construct and operate the facility on a 30,000 square meter plot. Once completed, the center will serve as a logist

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. slumped in their three major markets last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, company data showed Sunday. Hyundai and Kia, South Korea's two biggest carmakers, saw their sales slump in the United States, Europe and China in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic affected vehicle production and sales. Among the three markets, the automakers performed worst in China, with their combined sales plunging 27 percent to 908,828 units last year from 664,744 the previou

Air Premia and Aero K to heat up competition as Jin Air, Air Busan, Air Seoul to merge

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) sold by South Korean automakers sharply rose to exceed 600,000 units for the first time in 2020 on the back of the rising popularity of car camping and new lineups, industry data showed Sunday. Five companies -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- sold a combined 615,982 units last year, a 15.3 percent surge from a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) said. SUV sa

Jeep executive expresses confidence in the Korean market this year

The first offshore fuel cell system plant for South Korea’s biggest carmaker Hyundai Motor Group will be established in Guangzhou, China, the automaker said Friday. The automotive group said it signed an investment contract with China’s Guangdong provincial government to establish an offshore fuel cell system production facility in Guangzhou there. The investment is part of its efforts to advance its leadership in the global hydrogen industry, and to support the industry rapidly

Kia announced Friday a new brand strategy and future ambitions to transform the company to go beyond vehicle manufacturing to create mobility solutions for customers. In a digital showcase event on the company’s official YouTube channel, South Korea’s second-largest automaker announced a new corporate name removing “Motors” from its previous name of Kia Motors Corp. This signals the brand breaking away from its traditional manufacturing-driven business model to expan