Green Car Promotion
The South Korean government is working on a plan to compel automakers and car importers to sell green cars. Those in the industry, however, are pointing out that infrastructure establishment should come first and various incentives should be provided if the plan is to be carried out.
Minister of Environment Jo Kyeong-kyu said on October 18 that such a plan similar to that currently in effect in the United States can be a matter to think about in South Korea. In the United States, green cars must take up at least 2% of cars that are sold every year and those violating the regulation are subject to fine.
“This year, the South Korean government is planning to reach an electric vehicle supply volume of 10,000 cars but the actual supply stood at half of it until the end of September,” the minister went on to say, adding, “This is because Hyundai Motor Company’s Ionic production volume has dipped below 1,000 units a month due to the recent strike, most of the cars were sent to the U.S. because of the quota and only 200 or so Ionics were supplied to the South Korean market a month as a result.”
The government is currently looking into the cases of other countries before in-depth discussions and is planning to apply the same rule to South Korean and foreign automakers in the case of actual implementation. The cases include six Chinese cities and some EU member countries. In the former, the total number of cars on the road is being controlled except for electric vehicles. A resolution to ban diesel cars has been adopted lately in the latter.