Automotive

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  Hyundai Mobis breaks ground for new parts plant for all-electric vehicles SEOUL -- Hyundai Mobis, a parts-making unit of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, broke ground for a new parts plant for electric vehicles at its home base after relocating production facilities from an unnamed foreign country. Production of components that can be used for about 100,000 all-electric vehicles annually will begin in 2021. Hyundai Mobis said Wednesday that it would invest about 300 billion won ($248 million) in the new plant in the southeastern industr 2019-08-28
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  LG Innotek develops flexible lighting called 'Nexlide-HD' for premium cars SEOUL -- LG Innotek, the electric component unit of South Korea's LG Group, has developed flexible lighting called "Nexlide High Definition (HD)" that emits bright and even light. It can be used for premium cars that require unique and high-end design concepts. LG Innotek said in a statement on Wednesday that Nexlide HD is a lighting component that is made by attaching multiple LED packages to thin substrates. Nexlide HD is a hexagonal shape tha 2019-08-28
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  Hyundai unveils prototype vehicle-mounted portable electric scooter SEOUL -- For young millennials who are keen to use new technologies, Hyundai Motor has unveiled an innovative means of transport which would help drivers to move the last mile of their journey after parking. A prototype for a vehicle-mounted electric scooter revealed on Tuesday through Hyundai's news blog has a unique tri-folding design. It can travel up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) at a top speed of 20 km per hour. Hyundai said the scooter woul 2019-08-27
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  Hyundai Motor opens promotion center for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Shanghai SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor has opened a promotion center for its next-generation electric vehicle technology in China's heart of finance and technology. It consists of different zones where people can experience and learn about the carmaker's clean energy technology. The South Korean carmaker said it opened "Hyundai Hydrogen World" for fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology, in Shanghai to introduce Hyundai's latest clean ener 2019-08-26
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  Hyundai Motor's rendered image shows new electric vehicle concept SEOUL -- A rendered image released by South Korea's Hyundai Motor showed an electric vehicle concept that will be showcased at a motor show in Frankfurt, Germany, in September. Hyundai said its new concept was inspired by Pony, the company's first model which made its debut in 1975. "Inspired by looking back at the brand's first model in the 1970s, the 『45』 fully-electric concept car will act as a symbolic milestone for Hyundai’s f 2019-08-22
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  Researcher localize technologies to produce high purity hydrogen A file picture shows a charging station for fuel cell vehicles. SEOUL -- South Korea's state-run energy research institute has localized key technologies that can produce high purity hydrogen from synthetic gases including natural gas and biomass. Researchers hope their technology will play an important role in hydrogen production and refining. The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) said its research team led by Ryi Shin-kun has succeeded in implementing an electroless p 2019-08-20
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  SK Innovation works on developing technology to recycle spent electric vehicle batteries SEOUL -- SK Innovation, a battery-making subsidiary of South Korea's third-largest conglomerate SK Group, is developing technologies that can recover the high concentration of lithium hydroxide from anode materials of spent electric vehicle batteries. It hopes to commercialize them next year. SK Innovation (SKI) said that if related technologies are acquired, it can get key materials such as nickel, cobalt and manganese in higher purity by recycling 2019-08-20
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  Hyundai Motor to adopt LG's vehicle electronics parts for facelift model of iconic sedan SEOUL -- The facelift model of Hyundai Motor's iconic sedan "Grandeur" (Azera) will be installed with a 30-inch wide digital display cluster which has been adopted by premium vehicles such as Mercedes Benz's E-Class. Hyundai Motor will adopt LG Display's "Wide Screen Cockpit" display, a 30-inch digital cluster infotainment system, to give the revamped model of Grandeur a futuristic look, an auto industry official told Aju News. 2019-08-12
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  Hyundai Motor posts 23.3 percent increase in Q2 net profit thanks to good performance at home SEOUL -- South Korea's top auto company, Hyundai Motor, posted a 23.3 percent increase in its net profit in the second quarter of this year, helped by a weak won and brisk domestic sales of new models including sport utility vehicles. Overseas sales remained sluggish in major markets such as China and the United States. In a preliminary earnings report on Monday, Hyundai Motor said its second-quarter net profit was up 23.3 percent on-year to 999 billio 2019-07-22
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  Renault Samsung Motors releases AI-based infotainment system for SUV SEOUL -- The South Korean unit of French carmaker Renault has unveiled an artificial intelligence-based car infotainment system which allows drivers to safely maintain their attention on the road ahead and control audio and navigation features using voice. Renault Samsung Motors said in a statement on Monday that New QM6, the latest sport utility vehicle (SUV) model released in June, will be equipped with "EASY LINK", an artificial intelligence (AI) -base 2019-07-22
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  Hyundai Mobis develops mirrorless system for next-generation and autonomous vehicles SEOUL -- Using high-performance small digital cameras, Hyundai Mobis, a parts-making unit of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, has developed a camera monitoring system that would be used widely for mirrorless next-generation and self-driving vehicles. Hyundai Mobis said in a statement on Sunday that its Camera Monitor System (CMS) would drastically improve driving safety by securing a wider angle of view than conventional mirrors while innovatively c 2019-07-22
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  Policymakers pledge drastic regulation for mobility platform operators SEOUL -- South Korean policymakers proposed drastic deregulation for ride-sharing and car-hailing services, which have been stagnant due to strong objection by taxi drivers, vowing to achieve connected mobility and stability in the country's troubled taxi industry together for shared growth. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said Wednesday that mobility platform operators should distribute earnings to create a state-managed fund, which 2019-07-17
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  SK Energy to start fast EV charging service at gas stations SEOUL -- SK Energy, a refinery arm of South Korea's SK Group, will provide charging services for electric vehicles at 11 gas stations in August. The company would use chargers capable of charging a 60kW-class electric vehicle in about 30 minutes. Despite state subsidies and other benefits, consumers are still reluctant to buy EVs mainly due to the lack of charging stations. The circulation rate of an EV charging station is not as fast as a gas station. An 2019-07-11
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  Hanwha jumps into air taxi market with investment in U.S. flying vehicle developer SEOUL -- Showing a strong interest in air taxis which are seen as urban mobility in the future, Hanwha Systems, a provider of defense products and technologies in South Korea, will make a $25 million equity investment in K4 Aeronautics, a U.S. personal air vehicle developer. Hanwha Systems said Thursday that it would participate in the development of personal air vehicles (PAVs) targeting the American market. The company promised to increase its investm 2019-07-11
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  Hyundai develops new eco-friendly and fuel efficient engine technology SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group has developed a new eco-friendly and fuel-efficient engine technology which controls the opening and closing of valves according to driving conditions. The group claims its variable valve technology is "industry-first." The group said in a statement on Wednesday that it has developed Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology that reduces emissions by 12 percent and is five percent m 2019-07-03
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  Hyundai Motor forges strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group forged a strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter, to cooperate in fuel-cell vehicles and carbon fiber materials. In a ceremony attended by Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser and Hyundai Motor executive vice chairman Chung Eui-sun on Wednesday, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in developing hydrogen energy and carbon fiber mater 2019-06-26
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  GM to launch Colorado pickup, Traverse SUV in S. Korea: Yonhap SEOUL -- General Motors Co. will launch the Colorado pickup truck and the Traverse SUV in South Korea by September as it strives to strengthen its recreational vehicle lineup amid falling sales. The Detroit-based carmaker plans to introduce the Colorado pickup in late August and the Traverse SUV in early September, GM Korea President and CEO Kaher Kazem said in a press conference. GM Korea is targeting to increase the percentage of SUVs in its product 2019-06-25
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  Recycling center for discarded EV batteries on Jeju Island SEOUL -- A recycling center for discarded electric vehicle batteries will begin operation in the southern resort island of Jeju this week. Jeju said in a statement Monday that the so-called Electric Vehicle Battery Industrialization Center would open on Wednesday. Construction of the center began in 2017 in a joint project involving Jeju Island, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and civic groups. If a 38.3 kWh battery is removed for processing, about 1 2019-06-24
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  [FOCUS] Seoul citizens test 5G-based autonomous bus on urban road SEOUL -- In a street show to demonstrate self-driving technology by using a commercialized 5G mobile network for the first time in the world, an autonomous bus carrying passengers has made a seamless run on an urban road in Seoul. The 11-seater bus moved along a street some 500 meters (0.3 miles) in Sangam Digital Media City (DMC), an industrial cluster of digital media and entertainment companies located in western Seoul, carrying citizens who were selected to experie 2019-06-24
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  Kia Motors' strategic compact SUV 'Seltos' makes debut in India SEOUL -- Seltos, a new compact sport utility vehicle designed by South Korea's Kia Motors, made its debut for the first time in the world in an event in India. The strategic model targeting the millennial generation will be released in South Korea in July. Kia, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, said Seltos was unveiled Thursday at a convention center in Gurugram, formerly known as Gurgaon, a financial and technology hub southwest of New Delhi. 2019-06-20