Korea EV & Batteries

Coverage of South Korea's electric vehicle and battery sector — makers, supply chains, and demand trends.

Latest news

Kia EV5 Named Korea's Electric Vehicle of the Year

Kia's EV5 was named South Korea's Electric Vehicle of the Year and also topped a German magazine's SUV comparison test, beating the Tesla Model Y.

Published 2026.08.26. 14:43:46

Rival Parties Push Tax Credit of Up to 4 Million Won Per EV Made in Korea

Korean lawmakers are pushing bills to give EVs a domestic production tax credit of up to 4 million won per vehicle as Chinese EVs gain ground.

Published 2026.09.16. 17:55:39

Chinese EVs Bring Ultra-Fast Charging, LiDAR to 25 Million Won Sedans

Geely's new Galaxy TT electric sedan starts at 129,900 yuan with 6C ultra-fast charging and LiDAR, as Chinese automakers shift to a tech-for-value race.

Published 2026.09.11. 14:27:42

Robot Arms Rule BYD's Blade Battery Line in Xiangyang

BYD's Xiangyang plant, the key base for its second-generation Blade Battery, turns out a cell every three seconds and charges to 97% in nine minutes.

Published 2026.09.16. 17:32:43

Both Parties Push Tax Credit for EVs; Swift Legislation Is Key

Lawmakers from both Korean parties want electric vehicles added to the domestic production tax credit as Chinese EVs take 39% of the local market.

Published 2026.09.17. 24:00:05

Ulsan Adds 500 More EV Subsidies With 4.3 Billion Won Budget

Ulsan will subsidize 500 more electric vehicles, 400 cars and 100 trucks, under a 4.3 billion won supplementary budget after early rounds sold out.

Published 2026.09.17. 09:19:52

EV Owners Save 2 Million Won a Year on Upkeep, Study Finds

Electric vehicles cost about 2 million won less a year to run than comparable gasoline cars in Korea, a charging operator's analysis found.

Published 2026.09.09. 19:54:52

Korea Builds Only Test Hub for Eco-Friendly Commercial Vehicles

KATECH will open Korea's only integrated testing facility for electric and hydrogen commercial vehicle drive systems in Changwon in October.

Published 2026.09.16. 10:16:30

Hyundai Motor Group Pledges to Build Korea's Hydrogen Future With Jeju

Hyundai Motor Group said hydrogen and battery electric vehicles complement each other, pledging to build Korea's hydrogen economy with Jeju.

Published 2026.09.16. 11:32:38

New Energy Vehicles Sweep Top 10 in China Car Sales as Gasoline Models Vanish

Electric and hybrid models took all top 10 spots in China's passenger car retail sales last month, lifting the new energy vehicle share to a record 65.2%.

Published 2026.09.09. 16:18:37

Korean Institute Exports EV Charging Test System to California

KERI opened the Capital Charge Yard in Sacramento, exporting its EV charging interoperability test framework after winning a $4 million CEC project.

Published 2026.09.18. 09:16:27

Volkswagen Unveils Mission Efficiency Electric Concept Car

Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency concept set world records with a 0.158 drag coefficient and 14.5 km/kWh efficiency on a 1,278-kilometer drive.

Published 2026.09.17. 11:33:09

BYD Korea Denies Inflated Repair Bills on Budget EVs

BYD Korea says disputed repair estimates reflect hidden structural damage and standard industry pricing, after complaints spread about costly repairs.

Published 2026.09.01. 22:48:16

From Groundbreaking to Output in 11 Months at Fully Automated Plant

BYD's Xiangyang battery plant went from groundbreaking to production in 11 months, with a fully automated cell line and exports up 165% last year.

Published 2026.09.16. 23:34:27

Tesla Tops Korea's Imported Car Sales for Seventh Month

Tesla led South Korea's imported car market for a seventh straight month in August with 10,400 units, and its Model Y Premium was the country's…

Published 2026.09.03. 18:35:24

Xi May Bring BYD Chief to U.S.; Nvidia, OpenAI Chiefs to Attend Trump's State Dinner

China is considering adding BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu to Xi Jinping's delegation for his U.S. state visit, Bloomberg reported.

Published 2026.09.17. 15:18:15

Trump Says Chinese Automakers May Build Plants in U.S.

Trump signaled Chinese automakers could build plants in the U.S. if they hire American workers, days before his summit with Xi Jinping.

Published 2026.09.12. 15:11:22

Polestar Loses 95% of Market Value in Four Years

Polestar's market value has shrunk about 95% since its 2022 listing, to $1.3 billion, as losses widen and U.S. sales rules tighten.

Published 2026.09.10. 17:43:28

Renault's Busan Plant Becomes Group's Asian Hub for Future Cars

Renault's Busan plant is being remade into the group's largest Asian production base, building combustion, hybrid and electric models on one line.

Published 2026.09.18. 07:26:39

China Closes In on Korea's Lead in Hydrogen Vehicles

China is closing the hydrogen vehicle gap with Korea, with FCEV trucks topping 15,000 in 2024 on state-led pilot city programs.

Published 2026.09.17. 15:30:33

Seven in 10 Korean Drivers Would Switch Cars if Fuel Tops 2,000 Won

A K Car survey of 500 Korean drivers found 72% would consider switching vehicles if fuel prices rise, with 76% favoring electric or hybrid models.

Published 2026.08.28. 10:02:30

Barracuda, the Armored Vehicle That Symbolized Korea's Overseas Deployments

The Barracuda 4x4 armored vehicle, long a symbol of South Korea's overseas deployments in Iraq and Lebanon, was retired in October 2024.

Published 2026.09.12. 07:00:05

Kia CEO Says PBV Push Begins in Earnest With PV7

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung unveiled the PV7 purpose-built vehicle in Hanover, saying Kia is in talks with over 300 companies and has 4,000 units on order.

Published 2026.09.15. 18:15:05

Geely Rolls Out First Brazil-Built Car, Accelerating Latin America Push

Geely began its first local production in Brazil, building the EX5 EM-i Super Hybrid at a Renault joint venture plant in Parana state.

Published 2026.09.17. 15:59:41

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