Electric Slide
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors are planning to release a variety of hydrogen fuel cells and electric vehicles over the next five years. Next year, Hyundai’s first EV sedan makes its debut, to follow Kia’s mini and compact EVs already released under the name of Ray EV and Soul EV. In addition, Hyundai is currently working on a hybrid-only model to vie with the Toyota Prius.
Renault Samsung Motors is looking to release the Twizy as its second EV following the SM3 Z.E. Developed by Renault, the Twizy has only two seats and can run 80 km when fully charged. The relatively reduced battery capacity and maximum travel distance mean that the price of the car can be lower than expected. Test driving of the Twizy is scheduled for the first half of this year.
GM Korea is predicted to introduce the Volt next year. The Volt is a self-generating EV and is somewhat different from the other EVs in the market. It runs only on electricity, although it has an internal combustion engine and an electric motor like a hybrid vehicle. Its 1.5 liter engine is used to drive its generator when the battery gets below 20 percent. Although its maximum traveling distance is 80 kilometers when the battery is charged with an external charger, it can run 670 kilometers without charging, since the generator can be driven by the internal combustion engine.
Nissan Korea’s marketing campaigns for the LEAF are focusing on Jeju, because the model, which runs 100 kilometers on a full charge, can reach anywhere on the island. The company is expected to sell more than 130 LEAFs in Jeju this year, but is not planning to release it in the other provinces of Korea until sufficient EV charging infrastructure is set up.
BMW’s PHEV i8 recently made a successful debut in Korea. The company estimated this year’s sales volume in Korea at 180, but it is said that pre-sales already exceeded the estimates. Experts point out that the convenience of the plug-in hybrid type and the brand reputation of BMW are responsible for the high popularity.