▲xEV Trend Korea Kia Booth (Photo source: Hyundai Motor Group)


Continued research and development on Pacific Ocean waste plastic
Subscription charging service exclusively for EV private taxis

In addition to Kia's EV6 GT, which was selected as the 'Innovative Electric Vehicle of the Year' at xEV Trend Korea 2023, Kia also attracted attention by delivering a message about a sustainable future.

At xEV Trend Korea 2023, held at COEX in Seoul from the 15th to the 18th, Kia introduced the recycling process of collecting waste plastic from the Pacific Garbage Patch with the non-profit organization 'Ocean Cleanup' and applying it to vehicle parts together through an interactive wall.

Kia has announced its goal to use recycled plastic to make up 20% of plastic parts in its vehicles by 2030, as it pursues sustainable mobility solutions.

The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization, said that as of November 2022, it had removed about 145 tons of plastic from the ocean, and that it aims to collect 50% of the Pacific Ocean's trash within five years and more than 90% of ocean plastic by 2040.has been announced.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California, is the largest plastic accumulation area in the world's five oceans, covering an area three times the size of France.

This place is a clear example of environmental destruction caused by humans, consisting of 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic waste, weighing approximately 100,000 tons.

Kia plans to continue its research and development to enable the use of marine plastic waste collected by Ocean Cleanup.

The 'EV A to Z' section, which collects questions and answers related to electric vehicles, was able to resolve many of my curiosities about electric vehicles.

The advantages of electric vehicles were summarized based on data comparing the economy of each vehicle's engine type.

When comparing the Ministry of Environment's July 2021 public electric vehicle rapid charging rate system (rapid 309.1 won) with the Korea National Oil Corporation's announced oil prices for the first and second quarters of 2021 (gasoline 1,512 won, diesel 1,311 won), it can be seen that electric vehicles are much more economical when driving 1,500 km per month using rapid charging, at approximately 68,991 won for gasoline, 198,979 won for gasoline, and 118,781 won for diesel.

As electric vehicles are transforming into moving electronic devices, consumers also have concerns about electromagnetic waves.

According to data displayed by Kia, electromagnetic waves of 1 to 3 μT are generated during charging, driving, and stopping, which is similar to the levels of electronic cigarettes and electric rice cookers and is significantly lower than the WHO recommended standard of 83.3 μT.

Hyundai Motor Group's EV-only platform 'E-GMP' has a V2L function that can supply 220V general power inside and outside the vehicle without a separate control device or connection device.

Can be used as V2LThe maximum power output is 62kWh for the EV6 Long Range.

Considering that the average monthly electricity consumption of a four-person household in Korea is 350kWh, this is a considerably high amount of electricity.

The EV6 lineup zone showcased a diverse lineup of dedicated electric vehicles, including the high-performance electric vehicle EV6 GT, the fastest vehicle in Korean automobile history with a 0-100 km/h time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 260 km/h, and the EV6 GT-Line with its dynamic design.

The Niro Plus Taxi theme zone showcased the diverse uses of the Niro Plus, Kia's first purpose-built vehicle (PBV) model, centered around a sculpture depicting the Niro Plus taxi model and a taxi stand.

The Niro Plus taxi boasts an all-in-one display exclusive to taxis and a subscription-based charging service exclusive to private taxis.

The subscription-based charging service exclusively for EV private taxis is expected to ease drivers' concerns with the Green+ plan, which costs 30,000 won per month and offers a monthly contract discount of 1,400 kWh.