SK Signet, the electric vehicle charger maker affiliated with SK Group, said Wednesday it will start production of EV chargers in the US next month with the completion of its new plant in Texas. The new plant will be producing 10,000 units of its 400-kilowatt EV charger per year. It aims to double production capacity to an annual 20,000 units in phases. “By 2025, we look to boost our global sales to 1 trillion won ($768.3 million), compared to last year’s 160 billion won. Our goal is

100 limited editions likely to be launched in August: Indonesia’s top envoy to Seoul

Kia Corp., Volkswagen Group Korea and two other companies will voluntarily recall more than 54,000 vehicles to fix faulty components, the transport ministry said Wednesday. The companies, including Ford Sales & Service Korea and Stellantis Korea, are recalling a combined 54,412 units of nine different models, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. The problems that prompted the recall include a faulty dashboard software problem in Kia's Ray mini car, a f

German carmaker’s muscle EVs combine luxury with dynamic driving

Despite the recent incident during which a passenger opened the emergency exit door of an Asiana Airlines aircraft before landing, most South Koreans think an airplane's emergency exit should not be difficult to open, a survey found Tuesday. According to a survey of 21,000 respondents by online poll platform Thepol, 44.8 percent (9,500 people) of the respondents said "An airplane's emergency exit door should be able to open quickly and easily during an emergency." Meanwhile,

With improved bilateral relations between Korea and Japan, Toyota is seeking a turnaround here with the launch of the Crown Hybrid crossover utility vehicle, an upgraded version of its long-loved flagship sedan. “The Korean market is both worthy of investment and challenging because many customers are car enthusiasts who have high standards,” said Toyota Korea CEO Konyama Manabu, during a press conference on Monday in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. “Compared to 2022, the situation has

South Korea’s second-biggest carmaker Kia said Monday it has appointed John Buckingham, a UK veteran automotive designer, as the exterior design chief of its next design group. Buckingham has worked in the automotive industry since 2005 when he joined BMW as an exterior designer. While working at the BMW Designworks studio in Los Angeles, he also led the design of the 8 Series concept. Then, he moved to UK luxury carmaker Bentley in 2018 and to Faraday Future, the US-based electric vehicle

42dot, a self-driving mobility unit under Hyundai Motor Group, is setting up a global software center for software defined vehicles, or SDVs, aiming to create a foothold in the burgeoning future mobility business. Users can manage operations and acquire new features for SDVs primarily through software updates. According to a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the company received a first-phase investment worth 346.2 billion won ($265.1 million) from the carmaker, who vowed to inject total of 1.5

Korean auto giant diversifies battery suppliers in emerging markets amid protectionist policies in US, Europe

Hyundai Motor Company launched a revamped version of the Palisade in Korea with enhanced safety features on Friday. For the latest Palisade 2024, the automaker introduced a new trim, dubbed Le Blanc, which has been equipped with various customer-preferred specs, including a smart power tailgate, 20-inch wheels, organic leather sheets, wireless smartphone charging and a surround-view monitor. The new Palisade 2024 has also been revamped with new safety features, including blind collision warning

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna (center) poses with Roma Spider, the Italian luxury carmaker’s latest soft-top convertible, during the Universo Ferrari exhibition which kicked off in Seoul on Thursday. The CEO visited Korea to celebrate the Asia premiere of the exhibition that travels around the world to showcase Ferrari’s 22 most representative cars. On his right is Dieter Knechtel, president of Ferrari's Far East and Middle East, and left is Enrico Galliera, chief marketing an

Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday completed its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system facility in Guangzhou, China, signifying the South Korean auto giant's global expansion in the hydrogen industry. About 200 Chinese and Korean government officials and business executives, including Hyundai Motor Company CEO Chang Jae-hoon (sixth from left) and Lin Keqing (fifth from left), chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference and secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Comm

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said Thursday an executive meeting was held to bolster environmental, social and governance management efforts. Some 20 top executives, including Samsung SDI CEO Choi Yoon-ho, joined the workshop held at the company’s headquarters in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province. “ESG management goes beyond corporate’s social responsibility. It is a key strategy to enhancing our competitive edge for the future,” said the CEO in his opening remarks. &ld

LG Innotek said Wednesday it has developed a new flexible three-dimensional lighting module for vehicles. Dubbed "Nexlide-M," the product boasts brighter, clearer and more uniform light emission, making it more visible in daylight, the company said. "The Nexlide-M is the whole package -- it has excellent functions and beautiful design," said Yoo In-soo, head of LG Innotek's Motor and Lighting business. In particular, it is able to emit clearer light while with minimal nu

Mathias Vaitl, head of Mercedes Me, digital service business and e-commerce, to lead German automaker's Korean office