KT to make electric vehicle communication system

KT said that it has been chosen to build an information and communications system for electric vehicles in Korea.

The state-run Korea Environment Corp. selected the country’s second-largest telecom company to establish infrastructure that can support KECO to operate an EV transportation system, including recharging of the eco-friendly automobiles.

KT plans to use advanced software, and WCDMA and radio-frequency identification networking technologies for the establishment of the EV communication system.

This will also include functions that allow EV drivers to pay via credit cards for recharging.

This latest development follows one in 2009 when KT was chosen to participate in a smart grid project involving EVs in Jeju. Also, the telecom operator was selected to provide its IT know-how for Seoul City’s EV sharing service early this year.

KECO has been operating a pilot program with 500 electric vehicles since 2011, and plans to expand the number of EVs to 150,000 by 2016 and 1 million by 2020.

The state-run company also seeks to set up 3,000 public recharging stations by the end of this year, and 10,000 by 2020.

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)