Hyundai Unveils First Autonomous Taxi, Aims for Complete Carbon Neutrality by 2045

First Autonomous Robo-Taxi Unveiled at Germany Motor Show 'IAA Mobility 2021'
80% Vehicle Electrification by 2040
Plan to Achieve 100% Carbon Neutrality by 2045

On the 7th (local time), Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the actual RoboTaxi based on the Ioniq 5 to the public for the first time at the motor show "IAA Mobility 2021," which opened in Munich, Germany. The Ioniq 5 RoboTaxi (left) and the Prophecy, the concept car of the second dedicated electric vehicle Ioniq 6.

[Asia Economy reporters Changhwan Lee and Gimin Lee] Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled its autonomous driving robo-taxi for the first time. It is being evaluated as presenting a mobility platform that will be encountered in the near future. Hyundai plans to commercialize various eco-friendly next-generation mobility platforms such as robo-taxis, electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, and urban air mobility (UAM) to achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2045.

On the 7th (local time), Hyundai Motor publicly revealed the actual robo-taxi based on the Ioniq 5 for the first time at the ‘IAA Mobility 2021’ motor show held in Munich, Germany. The robo-taxi was jointly developed by Motional, a company established by Hyundai Motor Group and the U.S. autonomous driving company Aptiv, in partnership with Hyundai Motor.

Through Motional, Hyundai plans to supply fully driverless autonomous Ioniq 5 robo-taxis to the global ride-sharing company Lyft in 2023. The Ioniq 5 robo-taxi was certified last month with Level 4 autonomous driving technology by the Society of Automotive Engineers of America. Level 4 means the vehicle’s automated system can perceive and judge situations to drive, and can handle emergencies without driver intervention.

Hyundai has designated the robo-taxi as a representative next-generation mobility platform that will serve as a driving force for its carbon neutrality vision. The company explained that it embodies the will to fundamentally change the way people experience automobiles by encompassing electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology.

From an urban environmental perspective, robo-taxis can use less energy and operate efficiently to solve traffic congestion. Hyundai emphasized that this will ultimately help build a more sustainable transportation network and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The electrification transition of fleets (vehicles supplied in large quantities to corporations) like robo-taxis can reduce more carbon dioxide faster and more steadily than individuals purchasing and driving electric vehicles.

In addition to robo-taxis, Hyundai also revealed plans at this event to rapidly expand its electric and hydrogen vehicle lineups and steadily develop eco-friendly mobility platforms such as UAM, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality across its products and business by 2045.

Jang Jae-hoon, Hyundai Motor’s CEO, said at a briefing held before the event’s opening, "We will achieve carbon neutrality across our products and business by 2045 and accelerate investments in eco-friendly mobility and energy solutions for a more sustainable future."

First, Hyundai plans to increase the proportion of electrified models among vehicles sold worldwide to 30% by 2030 and 80% by 2040.

Regionally, the strategy is to make all models sold in the European market battery electric vehicles and hydrogen electric vehicles by 2035, and to sequentially complete electrification of all sales vehicles in other major markets by 2040. The hydrogen electric recreational vehicle (RV) lineup will also expand from one model currently to three models by 2025.

Furthermore, Hyundai plans to increase the use of renewable energy such as solar and wind power. In the mid to long term, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated during manufacturing processes by using green hydrogen, which does not produce carbon, in production.

The goal is to meet more than 90% of the electricity demand at Hyundai’s global business sites with renewable energy by 2040, and 100% by 2045. In addition, Hyundai will continue long-term investments such as collaborating with external partners to develop technologies like V2G (Vehicle to Grid), which allows electric vehicle batteries to be used like power grids, and SLBESS (Second Life Battery Energy Storage System) for recycling electric vehicle batteries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.