Renault Samsung Motors is aiming to sell up to 4,000 of its first full-electric car, the SM3 Z.E., next year.

“I am convinced it would be a game changer in the (electric car) sector in the future,” said Gilles Normand, head of Renault’s Asia-Pacific operations at a press conference held Friday to mark the official launch of the compact electric vehicle.

Normand stressed he was certain the car would find success in Korea as Korean customers care about the environment and innovative technology, and most of all are early adapters. For all of these demands, he said “the SM3 Z.E. is a good answer.”

Most of the initial demand for the SM3 Z.E. is expected to be from the corporate sector. LG Chem, the nation’s largest chemicals company, on Friday became the biggest corporate customer for Renault Samsung by purchasing 200 electric cars for both business use and car-sharing, industry sources said.

“The match is quite perfect,” Normand said of the deal. LG Chem also supplies Renault Samsung with electric car batteries. 

Including LG, Renault Samsung has reportedly received up to 500 preorders, mostly from corporate clients.

Normand said he hoped for more companies to adopt electric cars for the sake of the environment. The vice chairman added that government support was vital for electric cars to catch on, urging the Korean government to grant more incentives and subsidies.

This is because Renault believes more encouragement from the government will be absolutely necessary until the electric car market becomes stabilized. This can take up to a minimum five years, Normand said, or until technology becomes more advanced to lead to a natural decline in prices.

The SM3 Z.E. has an edge, industry watchers say, as it is the first full-electric car in the compact segment that is distinguished from the tinier Sparks and Rays in the electric vehicle world.

The SM3 Z.E. can run up to 135 km per charge and its maximum speed is 135 kilometers per hour. While the price tag is around a hefty 45 million won ($42,400), government subsidies bring it down to a more affordable 20 million won. An 8 million won charger is thrown in to further bring down the costs.

Globally, Renault sold more than 100,000 electric cars this year under its alliance with Nissan, according to company chairman Carlos Ghosn.

In a video message, Ghosn emphasized that the company chose to invest 150 billion won for the SM3 Z.E. based on the potential for electric vehicles in Korea.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)