Author: Min-jae Kim

Hyundai Motor has unveiled the Ioniq V, its first model in the Ioniq electric vehicle lineup developed specifically for China, at Auto China in Beijing. The production-ready model is derived from the recently presented Ioniq Venus concept and forms part of Hyundai’s broader strategy to expand its electric vehicle presence in the Chinese market. Unlike the globally available Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Ioniq V adopts a fastback crossover design, blending elements of a saloon, coupé and SUV. The model introduces a new design language called “The Origin,” tailored for Hyundai’s electric vehicles in China and focused on creating a premium…

Kia has lowered its 2030 electric vehicle sales target to 1 million units annually, marking the second consecutive reduction to its long-term EV ambitions as the automaker adjusts to shifting market conditions. The revised target was announced at Kia’s 2026 CEO Investor Day in Seoul and represents a cut of 260,000 units from the company’s previous goal, which had already been reduced last year. Despite the lower EV target, Kia said it still plans to expand its global EV lineup to 14 models by 2030, including passenger cars, SUVs and dedicated Platform Beyond Vehicle models. Hybrid vehicles are also expected…

Hyundai Motor on Friday officially introduced its electric vehicle brand Ioniq to the Chinese market, marking a renewed push by the South Korean automaker to regain ground in the world’s largest electric vehicle market. The company unveiled the Ioniq brand in China alongside the global debut of two concept vehicles, the Venus Concept and Earth Concept, ahead of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. Hyundai said the launch represents a milestone in its electrification strategy in China and forms part of its “In China, For China, To Global” approach. “The introduction of the Ioniq brand is a milestone for Hyundai’s comprehensive…

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has revised subsidy rules for electric buses, introducing stricter battery performance criteria that could make it harder for Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, Higer, and Zhongtong to qualify for public funding. Under the updated framework, subsidies for low-floor electric buses will increase to as much as 90 million won (around €52,000), up from a previous flat rate of 87 million won. However, eligibility is now tied more closely to battery energy density, with higher thresholds required to secure full incentives. Authorities said batteries must exceed 500 Wh/L in energy density to qualify for maximum…

U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla has reached the top position in South Korea’s imported vehicle market for the first time, surpassing traditional internal combustion engine competitors as demand for EVs accelerated. Data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, cited by The Korea Herald, showed Tesla delivered 20,964 vehicles between January and March 2026, up 335% from a year earlier. The performance placed it ahead of BMW, which sold 19,368 units, and Mercedes-Benz with 15,862 units. The increase was driven by a surge in March, when deliveries exceeded the combined total from January and February. Earlier in the quarter,…

South Korean battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution has launched its participation in SDVerse, becoming the first battery company to join the business-to-business (B2B) automotive software marketplace as it expands beyond hardware into software and services for software-defined vehicles (SDVs). SDVerse, co-founded in 2024 by General Motors, Magna, and Wipro, provides a platform where automotive companies can list, search, and evaluate software solutions. LG Energy Solution is contributing five software products to the marketplace: Battery Platform SW, Safety Diagnostic Calibration Tool, Onboard FRISM, Onboard BLiS, and Onboard DASH. These offerings cover battery diagnostics, degradation analysis, and performance simulation, reflecting the company’s…

Porsche will introduce its all-electric Cayenne in South Korea in the second half of the year and confirmed that all of its electric vehicles sold in the country will use locally sourced battery cells, as the company adapts to consumer preferences and regulatory scrutiny. The Cayenne Electric, first unveiled in November 2025, is currently in series production in Slovakia and will join the brand’s existing electric lineup in South Korea, including the Macan Electric and the Taycan. Mathias Busse said the company is confident in its localisation strategy. “We feel very confident for having Korean batteries in all our Porsche…

South Korea’s competition regulator has fined Mercedes-Benz the equivalent of about €6.5 million for allegedly misleading consumers about the battery suppliers used in some of its electric vehicle models. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said the automaker promoted its Mercedes-Benz EQE and Mercedes-Benz EQS models as using battery cells supplied by CATL. According to the regulator, certain variants of these vehicles were instead equipped with battery cells from Farasis Energy. The KFTC said dealership sales guidelines stated that all EQE and EQS vehicles were fitted with CATL battery cells, while information about Farasis-supplied batteries was not included in dealer…

Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB has launched the MobED Alliance, a collaborative initiative designed to accelerate the commercialization of its MobED mobile robot platform in South Korea. The alliance was unveiled during Automation World 2026 in Seoul and brings together component suppliers, robotics solution providers and industry organizations to support the domestic rollout of the robot platform. Initial partners include automotive component suppliers Hyundai Transys and SL Corporation, robotics firms LS THiRA-UTECH and Kaon Robotics, and the Korea Association of AI Robot Industry. The group plans to develop ten industry-specific modules that can be mounted onto the MobED platform for…

Lenovo and South Korean autonomous mobility firm SWM have announced a partnership to co-develop a Level 4 autonomous robotaxi platform designed for deployment in several international markets. The platform will combine SWM’s AP-700 Autonomous Driving Platform with Lenovo Vehicle Computing’s AD1 Autonomous Driving Domain Controller, which is built on the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor computing platform. According to the companies, the AD1 system is designed to support high-performance autonomous driving applications and is based on NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture, delivering more than 2,000 TFLOPS of artificial intelligence processing power at FP8 and INT8 precision. The computing platform is intended to support…

SK On and POSCO have signed a lithium supply agreement running through 2028, covering up to 25,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate sourced from Argentina. The volume is expected to support the annual production of approximately 400,000 electric vehicle batteries, according to SK On. The lithium concentrate will be used in battery-electric vehicle projects in Europe and North America, as well as in stationary energy storage systems. See also: SK On, Seoul National University Report Breakthrough in Single-Crystal Cathode Research SK On said the agreement forms part of its broader effort to diversify its raw material supply chain. South Korean media…

Qnovo said it has received a strategic investment from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation, as the companies expand cooperation on battery management software for electric mobility applications. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Qnovo develops software designed to monitor and manage lithium-ion battery performance through predictive, physics-based algorithms. The company said the investment will support wider deployment of its battery intelligence platform across current and future electric vehicle architectures. See also: Qnovo Partners with Sonatus to Accelerate AI-Driven Battery Safety Integration for Software-Defined Vehicles The move comes as global battery demand continues to rise, driven by growth…