Geum Han-seung, Director of the Climate and Carbon Division at the Ministry of Environment, said, “The transition to zero-emission vehicles is now a huge shift and is moving toward a new culture in the automobile industry. I hope that this event will once again rekindle the public’s interest in zero-emission vehicles and serve as a venue for sharing useful information about them.” He added, “We will pursue government policy support so that zero-emission vehicles can exceed 700,000 units this year and reach a cumulative 4.5 million units by 2030.”

He continued, “The public’s demand for safer and more powerful electric vehicles and faster charging in various locations is a new challenge for this administration, and the government cannot find the answer alone, so we will put our heads together with everyone here today to find a way.”

The xEV Awards were also held, which awarded prizes based on a combination of evaluations by professional judges and consumer votes among eight representative electric vehicles released last year.

Cho Yong-seok, professor emeritus of automotive engineering at Kookmin University and chairman of the judging committee for this year's awards, said, "We combined the evaluation scores of eight experts, including professors in the automotive field, by 70% and the evaluation scores of 2,172 people who participated in the EV Trend Korea online preference survey by 30%." He added, "The vehicle candidates are pure electric models released between February of last year and January 2023."

The expert evaluation criteria are: △design △performance △charging system △eco-friendly elements △driver convenienceThe key issues are: △Platform usability, △Sustainable solutions (electrification goals), △Price and marketing.

Professor Emeritus Cho Yong-seok said, “All the models reviewed were excellent and have raised expectations for future electric vehicles.”

Hyundai Motor Company's 'Ioniq 6' was selected as 'Korea's Electric Vehicle of the Year' and 'Consumer-Selected Electric Vehicle'.

The IONIQ 6, which received the Minister of Environment Award and was named 'Korea Electric Vehicle of the Year', received high satisfaction ratings for both design and practicality, and also received good reviews for charging convenience, ease of use, and infrastructure.

Additionally, the Ioniq 6 garnered support from 50% of the 2,172 people who participated in an online preference survey, solidifying its position as Korea's undisputed best electric vehicle.

Kia's EV6 GT, selected as the 'Innovative Electric Vehicle of the Year', was evaluated as a model that impressively demonstrates the performance that is possible with an electric vehicle.

▲ Kia's EV6 GT, named 'Innovative Electric Vehicle of the Year'

Chaebi, which won the 'User Choice Charger of the Year' award, received favorable reviews from electric vehicle drivers for providing the largest ultra-fast charging infrastructure and services in the country, and received impressive reviews for its continuous development to enhance convenience.