Global automakers, including Hyundai Motor, Toyota and General Motors, are urging the US government to delay new restrictions on Chinese-made parts used in connected vehicles. The proposed regulations, which aim to limit Chinese and Russian components in vehicles with advanced communication and autonomous driving features, are raising concerns not only among automakers but also from Mexico, where many companies affected by the rules have invested in production facilities. According to Reuters on

Mobility Oct. 29, 2024

STUTTGART, Germany -- Following a fire involving a Mercedes-Benz EQE electric vehicle in South Korea in August, executives are defending their use of batteries from Chinese supplier Farasis Energy, even as investigations continue to probe the cause of the incident. The August fire, which occurred in the basement of an apartment building in Incheon, has raised questions around the safety of the vehicle's battery cells and the automaker’s quality control practices. During an Oct. 21 med

Mobility Oct. 28, 2024

KEPPENHEIM, Germany -- A two-hour drive southwest of Mercedes-Benz’s Stuttgart headquarters, a new facility in the small town of Kuppenheim is poised to play a big role in the auto giant’s sustainability efforts. On Monday, brightly lit tanks, each glowing with a different hue, lined the walls of the 6,800-square-meter space, labeled with symbols for essential elements: lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. This is not a scene from a sci-fi movie, but a staged media presentation -

Mobility Oct. 24, 2024

Tesla’s recent unveiling of its Robotaxi prototype has generated some buzz, but the absence of critical details leaves room for competitors -- such as Hyundai Motor Group -- to potentially make up ground in the race toward autonomous vehicles. While Tesla remains a dominant force in electric vehicles and self-driving technology, its latest announcement raises as many questions as it does excitement. At the Tesla event named "We, Robot," held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank,

Mobility Oct. 23, 2024

LG Energy Solution has landed its biggest deal of the year, partnering with Ford to supply 109 gigawatt-hours of batteries for the automaker's electric commercial vehicles through 2032. Announced on Tuesday, this long-term agreement will see LG providing enough battery power for over a million electric commercial vehicles, all manufactured at the company’s plant in Wroclaw, Poland. The batteries, expected to be a high-performance ternary pouch type, will be delivered over two periods

Mobility Oct. 15, 2024

Over the past three years, 182 students from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have withdrawn from the university to pursue medical or dental school, with some even abandoning their graduate-level studies to make the switch. According to data provided by Democratic Party Rep. Hwang Jeong-ah, a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, these 182 students left KAIST between 2021 and Oct. 4 this year, specifically citing th

Economy Oct. 15, 2024

Renault Korea and KG Mobility, the two underdogs in Korea where Hyundai and Kia cars dominate almost 90 percent of the market, are starting to edge in with their latest midsize sport utility vehicles. As consumer interest in smaller city cars declines, midsize SUVs are gaining popularity here, driven by increasing demand for larger, family-friendly vehicles and automakers’ focus on more profitable segments. According to September data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, K

Mobility Oct. 14, 2024

Hyundai Motor Group is celebrating four years of Chung Euisun’s leadership as executive chair on Monday. During this period, the automaker has experienced rapid growth, expanded into new markets and positioned itself as a major player in electric vehicles and future technologies. But new challenges lie ahead, particularly in software, robotics and urban air mobility. When Chung officially took over in 2020, Hyundai and its sister brand, Kia, were solid players but not exactly leaders in th

Mobility Oct. 13, 2024

Posco Future M has started operations at its new plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, dedicated to producing nickel-cobalt-aluminum cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. The plant, which shipped its first batch over the weekend, will help meet the growing demand for high-performance EV battery components. NCA cathode materials, with 88 percent nickel content, are key for making EV batteries more efficient. In January 2023, Posco Future M secured a 40 trillion won ($29.6 bill

Mobility Oct. 13, 2024

How can cities contribute to achieving carbon neutrality? According to Kim Young-rok, CEO of NineWatt, it is simpler than you might think. “When people think about energy efficiency, they often think of expensive, high-tech solutions,” Kim said. “But before you jump into cutting-edge technologies, the key is to optimize what’s already there -- the buildings you visit every day. The real question is: how do we do that efficiently?” Founded in 2019, NineWatt is a Kore

Companies Oct. 10, 2024

Hyundai Motor India is about to make history with a massive $3.3 billion initial public offering set for Oct. 22. This will be the largest IPO in Indian stock market history, and Hyundai plans to use the funds to ramp up production in the country and accelerate its push into the electric vehicle market. India’s stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, gave the green light for Hyundai’s offering Wednesday. The company will sell 17.5 percent of its Indian sub

Mobility Oct. 10, 2024

LG Energy Solution has secured a major long-term contract to supply electric vehicle batteries to a key affiliate of Mercedes-Benz. The deal, announced Tuesday, primarily targets North America and other key markets, although the exact regions were not specified. Under the terms of the agreement, LG will provide 50.5 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries over 10 years, starting in 2028. While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, industry analysts believe it likely reaches billions of dollar

Mobility Oct. 8, 2024

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly begun early-stage production of electric vehicles at its new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility, located near Savannah, Georgia. According to a report on Saturday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a major local newspaper in Georgia, Hyundai commenced production at the facility earlier last week. The company also reportedly held a private event on Thursday for employees to mark this achievement. The official completion ceremony for the plant is st

Mobility Oct. 8, 2024

Korean electrical equipment manufacturer LS Electric announced a partnership with Kyudenko, a Kyushu Electric Power Company subsidiary, to enter Japan’s growing battery energy storage system market. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel on Sunday, with LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-Gyun and Kyudenko Vice President Masaaki Jono in attendance. Kyudenko, based in Fukuoka, is a major player in Japan’s electrical construction

Industry Oct. 7, 2024

LG Energy Solution has reaffirmed its commitment to growing its presence in the rapidly expanding North American energy storage system market, aiming to capitalize on the region’s increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions. In a recent interview with UK-based industry publication Energy Storage News, Kim Hyung-sik, vice president and head of the ESS battery division at LG Energy Solution, outlined the company’s strategy for targeting North America. He emphasized the crucial r

Industry Oct. 6, 2024