This year is expected to be the first year for electric vehicles to become popular. Finished car makers and imported car makers are planning to pour out two to three times more electric cars than in previous years, predicting fierce market competition. There are also observations that 100,000 to 150,000 electric vehicles will be sold in Korea this year. This is equivalent to the cumulative sales volume (about 130,000 units) over the past five years.
Next-generation electric car with a dedicated platform is coming
According to the automobile industry on the 1st, there are more than 10 types of electric vehicles in the domestic market this year. Until last year, only 3 to 5 electric vehicles were launched in Korea a year. From this year, dedicated platform electric vehicles will also be poured out. These are new cars that are different from the existing electric cars from the’basic structure (platform)’.
Compared to electric vehicles made by remodeling an existing internal combustion locomotive, it has excellent driving performance and safety. There is no need for space for the engine, and the battery is placed on the floor, maximizing the interior space. An industry insider said, “There is a high possibility that electric vehicle sales will increase explosively from the first half of this year.
Hyundai Motor Company will introduce the Ioniq 5, the first car to which a dedicated platform (E-GMP) is applied, in the first half. The design is based on the concept car ’45’, which was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany in 2019. The interior space is similar to that of a large sports utility vehicle (SUV) Palisade. Ultra-fast charging system is also applied. If you use 800 volts (V) high voltage charging, you can charge 80% of the battery in 18 minutes. With one charge, the driving distance is 500km. If you charge for 5 minutes, you can travel 100km.
Kia Motors is also releasing electric vehicle CV (codename) based on the same platform in the second half. Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis will unveil two types of electric vehicles this year: the electric car model of the G80 (eG80) and the new car JW (codename). GM Korea plans to bring in and sell the Volt EV partly modified model and the new electric vehicle model. Ssangyong Motors will also launch the brand’s first electric car, the E100, in the first half. The E100 is a semi-medium SUV.
Benz and BMW are also electric vehicles’all-in’
Imported car makers also release electric cars one after another. Mercedes-Benz’s strategy is to expand its electrification lineup, focusing on the electric vehicle EQ brand. Following the launch of EQC, the first pure electric vehicle of the EQ brand in Korea in October 2019, this year, EQA and EQS based on Benz’s electric vehicle exclusive platform (MEA) will be introduced.
BMW plans to introduce two types of electric vehicles, iX and iX3 in the second half. The iX is the first model that BMW has made with electric vehicles in mind from the development stage and is in the final stage of development. There are many prospects that the mileage will be at the level of 500 km when it outputs more than 500 horsepower and is charged once. An electric car iX3 based on the midsize SUV X3 is also coming out.
Audi unveiled the e-tron Sportback 55, a coupe-like model of the first electric e-tron that was introduced last year. Porsche also sells high-performance electric vehicles such as the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S. Tesla, an electric car maker in the US, which swept the domestic electric car market with the Model 3 last year, is launching the Model Y.
In the industry, there is also a prospect that subsidies for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure will act as variables for sales. Starting this year, the government will lower the government subsidy for electric vehicles from 8 million won to 7 million won. Instead of partially reducing the subsidy per unit, it will increase the target (106,000 units → 158,000 units).
Although the number of domestic chargers is steadily increasing, it is not enough to keep up with the spread of electric vehicles. The Korea Automobile Industry Association said, “Last year, the number of chargers increased more than twice compared to 2019, but it was built mainly for public use, so users are still experiencing inconvenience.” did.
Reporter Do Byeong-wook [email protected]