Author: Min-jae Kim

South Korea’s Kakao Mobility has partnered with Nvidia to develop advanced autonomous-driving technology, targeting Level 4 vehicle automation as the company prepares to expand its driverless transportation services. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding during Nvidia’s AI Day Seoul, a two-day technology event hosted by the US semiconductor company. The agreement will combine Kakao Mobility’s proprietary artificial intelligence models with Nvidia’s high-performance computing platform to develop an autonomous-driving system designed to meet international standards. The collaboration is intended to strengthen Kakao Mobility’s technological capabilities and accelerate its progress towards commercial deployment of fully driverless vehicles. Partnership Targets Level…

Genesis has opened orders for the GV90, its first full-size flagship electric SUV, introducing a new model range designed to strengthen the luxury brand’s position in the ultra-premium vehicle market. Announced on November 10, the lineup includes the standard GV90 and the higher-end GV90 Neolun. Both models use Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated eMP electric vehicle platform and a 123.5 kWh battery, the largest capacity currently offered in the group’s EV lineup. Following their global debut in San Francisco in August, South Korea has become the first market to begin official sales. Prices Start at 139.5 Million Won The GV90 range…

Kia plans to invest 3 trillion won ($2.2 billion) in Gwangju, South Korea, through 2029 to expand its electric vehicle manufacturing operations and develop a regional ecosystem for purpose-built electric vehicles (PBVs). The investment will transform the automaker’s AutoLand Gwangju facility into a strategic production base for electric vehicles and software-defined mobility solutions, expanding its manufacturing activities beyond internal combustion engine models. The funding forms part of Hyundai Motor Group’s broader commitment, announced in November 2025, to invest 125.2 trillion won in domestic operations over five years. Kia Partners With Local Institutions on Electric Mobility Alongside the investment announcement, Kia…

South Korean battery materials supplier Posco Future M plans to supply LG Energy Solution (LGES) with 720,000 tonnes of cathode and anode materials between 2027 and 2033, under an expanded cooperation agreement between the companies. The partners have signed a memorandum of understanding covering lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes, synthetic graphite, ultra-high-nickel cathodes and materials for future battery technologies, including sodium-ion batteries and silicon anodes. The companies intend to finalise a formal supply contract later this year. They have not disclosed how the total volume will be divided among the different materials. LFP Production to Begin in 2027 Posco Future…

Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for more than 92% of imported passenger car registrations in South Korea in October, reflecting a significant shift in the market toward electrified powertrains. Gasoline and diesel models together represented less than 8% of registrations, while electric vehicles narrowly led hybrids. The Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) reported on November 4 that newly registered imported passenger cars reached 31,117 units in October, up 29.3% from 24,064 units a year earlier. However, registrations declined 10.8% from September’s 34,904 units. Cumulative registrations from January through October totaled 310,846 units, an increase of 24.6% from 249,412…

LG Energy Solution reported revenue of KRW 9.6 trillion and operating profit of KRW 756 billion for the third quarter of 2026, according to financial results released on November 3. Revenue increased 27.6% from the previous quarter and included KRW 416.9 billion in North American production incentives. The company recorded an operating margin of 7.8%. The improvement was supported by higher energy storage system (ESS) shipments, increased deliveries of electric vehicle batteries and better production utilization across several facilities. ESS and EV Battery Shipments Support Revenue Growth LG Energy Solution attributed its third-quarter revenue increase primarily to a significant rise…

South Korean police have referred 80 Tesla owners to prosecutors over the alleged unauthorised activation of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in vehicles that are not approved to use the technology, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s traffic crime investigation team seized 21 devices allegedly used to bypass Tesla’s regional software restrictions. Investigators suspect that some owners imported the equipment from overseas, while others developed their own tools to activate FSD without regulatory approval. One case reportedly involved a Tesla owner who purchased an activation device in Europe and connected it to the vehicle. Another…

South Korea’s electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly dependent on vehicles manufactured in China, despite government efforts to tighten subsidy eligibility rules. Tesla’s Shanghai-built models and BYD’s expanding commercial presence have helped Chinese-produced vehicles strengthen their position, particularly in the passenger car segment, BusinessKorea reported. Data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) showed that 43,455 of the 98,292 electric vehicles registered in South Korea during the third quarter were manufactured in China. That represented 44.2% of registrations, an increase of 6.8 percentage points compared with the same period a year earlier. The shift is even more pronounced among…

Kia has launched a car-sharing pilot in South Korea that uses remote operators to deliver and retrieve unoccupied PV5 purpose-built vehicles, testing a mobility service designed to reduce the need for users to collect and return cars themselves. The trial began on October 15 in the Second Pangyo Techno Valley in Gyeonggi Province, where employees of local businesses can reserve vehicles through a dedicated application. The program is scheduled to run through the end of 2026, with expansion planned for 2027, according to The Korea Herald. How the Remote-Driving Service Works Under the pilot, users book a PV5 through the…

Water, the electric vehicle charging brand of South Korean renewable energy company Bright Energy Partners, plans to open 23 new fast-charging sites along highways across South Korea. The company has already opened the first location ahead of the planned October rollout. The expansion will add 123 chargers across highway rest areas, with a focus on higher-power charging for newer electric vehicles. 400 kW Chargers Lead the Expansion Each of the 23 new charging sites will include at least two ultra-fast chargers rated at 400 kW. Across the new network, 62 chargers will offer 400 kW output, while another 46 will…

Hyundai is reportedly preparing to expand its Ioniq electric vehicle family with two additional models, the Ioniq 4 and Ioniq 7, within the next 12 to 18 months. According to British automotive publication Auto Express, the two models are expected to be electric SUVs positioned between the existing Ioniq 3, Ioniq 5, and Ioniq 9. Hyundai describes Ioniq as a dedicated sub-brand for next-generation electric vehicles and e-mobility. The lineup currently includes the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Ioniq 9, and the recently introduced Ioniq 3 in Germany. The Ioniq 3 is a compact hatchback with an aerodynamic body and a…

LG Innotek has begun operating sensor-equipped vehicles on South Korean roads in partnership with U.S. autonomous driving software company Applied Intuition to collect real-world data and improve technologies used by self-driving vehicles to interpret their surroundings, The Korea Times reported. The companies launched the data collection programme in Korea with plans to expand the fleet to 20 vehicles by 2028. Initial operations will focus on Seoul, Incheon and surrounding areas of Gyeonggi Province, with vehicles supporting both road data collection and autonomous driving software development. Applied Intuition Supports Data Collection Programme The partnership with Applied Intuition gives LG Innotek access…

Hyundai Motor and Kia are collaborating with LG Energy Solution on a demonstration project in South Korea that combines second-life electric vehicle batteries with a battery energy storage system for EV charging infrastructure. The pilot is designed to assess whether batteries removed from electric vehicles can be safely and economically reused as stationary energy storage systems. It uses decommissioned battery packs from vehicles based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform and is described by the companies as the first demonstration in South Korea to use decommissioned E-GMP battery packs for this type of application. 200 kWh Battery Storage System The…

Kia has unveiled the PV7 electric van at IAA Transportation 2026, expanding its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) range with a larger commercial model that offers more cargo capacity, payload and battery energy than the smaller PV5. The PV7 will use an 800-volt electrical architecture, compared with the PV5’s 400-volt system, and will be offered with two NMC battery options. European deliveries are planned to begin in the second half of 2027. The PV7 is the second model in Kia’s PBV strategy, which the company introduced at the beginning of 2024. The smaller PV5 was the first production model and is…

Hyundai Motor Group is partnering with energy platform Kaluza to integrate smart charging controls directly into the digital platforms used by Hyundai and Kia electric vehicle drivers. The initiative will initially launch in the United Kingdom before expanding to Australia and other markets, with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services planned for Hyundai and Kia vehicles from 2027. Smart Charging Comes to Hyundai and Kia Apps The partnership will bring Kaluza’s energy intelligence technology directly into the Kia App and myHyundai App, allowing battery-electric vehicle drivers to manage charging through the same digital platforms they already use for their vehicles. https://evmagz.com/hyundai-targets-3-minute-charging-as-automaker-develops-faster-400-kw-ev-systems/ Drivers will…

Hyundai Motor Company has outlined its growth strategy through 2030, maintaining a target of 5.55 million annual vehicle sales while aiming for electrified models to account for 60% of sales across the Hyundai and Genesis brands. More Than 100 Models Planned Hyundai plans to launch or update more than 100 vehicle models globally by 2030. The company did not provide a specific battery-electric vehicle sales target, but said the 60% electrified sales target will include full hybrids. https://evmagz.com/hyundai-starts-ioniq-3-ev-production-in-turkey-after-e250-million-plant-upgrade/ The strategy applies to Hyundai and Genesis and does not cover Kia, which operates under a separate product roadmap. Hyundai plans to…

EcoPro BM is investing around 40 billion won, or approximately €25 million, to adapt its cathode material plant in Debrecen, Hungary, for production of high-nickel NCM materials for European automotive customers. The South Korean manufacturer plans to begin supplying material containing more than 90% nickel to an unnamed German premium automaker from the fourth quarter of 2027. Debrecen Plant Adds NCM Production EcoPro BM is modifying an existing production line at its Hungarian facility that was originally designed to manufacture NCA cathode material. The upgraded line will also be capable of producing NCM cathode materials, and the company has already…

Hyundai Motor has unveiled the Genesis GV90, an all-electric large SUV that becomes the luxury brand’s largest vehicle and expands its U.S. lineup to seven models. The up to seven-seat EV will be produced at a new Hyundai facility in Ulsan, South Korea, and is expected to go on sale in the United States early next year. Genesis Expands Into Large Electric SUV Segment The GV90 represents a new design direction for Genesis and will be the brand’s fourth electric vehicle offered in the U.S. Genesis expects the model to compete in the large luxury SUV segment against vehicles including…

Shell Lubricants and Hyundai Motor Company have renewed their global partnership for another five years, extending a collaboration that began in 2005. The agreement maintains Shell as Hyundai Motor’s recommended global supplier of aftersales lubricants while expanding joint work on lubricant technologies, vehicle programmes and customer service. The renewal is the fifth since the companies began working together and covers product development, motorsport engineering and aftersales activities. https://evmagz.com/hyundai-starts-ioniq-3-ev-production-in-turkey-after-e250-million-plant-upgrade/ Partnership Expands Into EV-Related Technologies Under the renewed agreement, Shell and Hyundai will continue developing lubricant technologies for Hyundai vehicles and supporting high-performance vehicle programmes. The companies also plan to expand cooperation…

Hyundai has started series production of the all-electric Ioniq 3 at its İzmit plant in Turkey following a €250 million upgrade of the facility. The compact electric car is being produced for the European market, with Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır saying initial annual production is planned at 30,000 units. The start of production makes the İzmit facility Hyundai’s first plant in Turkey to manufacture battery-electric passenger vehicles. The Ioniq 3 is scheduled to enter the European market in October. İzmit Plant Begins Electric Vehicle Production Hyundai has modernised more than half of the İzmit plant over…