[2024 Green Mobility] Future Car Leadership Depends on Eco-Friendly Technology

Consensus on Eco-friendly Mobility
Selected Achievements in Research and Technology Development

The 2024 Green Mobility Awards, hosted by Asia Economy and sponsored by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Environment, and the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association, is an event aimed at encouraging the development of eco-friendly mobility technologies. As the global consensus on the need for carbon-free, environmentally friendly transportation spreads worldwide, competition among countries and companies for leadership in future vehicles has become fiercer than ever. Over the past year, individuals and companies who have achieved notable accomplishments in eco-friendly mobility or related research and technology development have been selected and awarded.

Kim Jeong-hoon, Executive Director of Commercial Testing at Hyundai Motor Company, received the Green Mobility Award in recognition of his contribution to developing hydrogen electric buses. Hydrogen is expected to become a significantly more utilized energy source in future society, and Hyundai Motor Group is building a diverse hydrogen ecosystem, including mobility. Commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks are larger and require more power, resulting in higher fuel consumption. Their driving range is also much longer than that of regular passenger cars.

This is why the introduction of eco-friendly mobility such as hydrogen and electric vehicles is more urgent. The hydrogen electric city and express buses developed by Hyundai are the world’s first large buses equipped with hydrogen fuel cell systems, playing a crucial role in the transition to a hydrogen ecosystem. Professor Kim Pil-su of Daelim University, who served as a judge, commented, "They have made a significant contribution to the transition to a hydrogen ecosystem."

The Technology Award, another award from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, was given to POSCO. POSCO was highly evaluated for establishing a stable supply chain by securing the entire value chain of secondary batteries, from raw materials like lithium to cathode and anode materials, at the group level. The industry expects secondary batteries to be widely used not only in eco-friendly mobility but also throughout our daily lives in the near future.

Until now, energy was obtained by burning carbon-based fossil fuels, but going forward, energy will be stored and used from pollution-free sources such as solar and wind power. Um Myung-do, Director of the Transportation Environment Policy Research Institute and a judging panel member, praised POSCO for "completing a lithium factory for secondary battery materials and domestic production of key lithium components," highlighting their stable supply system.

An electric vehicle charging station in Seoul
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Mobility Innovation Award from the Ministry of Environment was awarded to Hyundai Mobis and Hyosung. Hyundai Mobis was recognized for various new future mobility technologies, including the next-generation electrification platform (e-CCPM), while Hyosung was acknowledged for expanding various hydrogen-related businesses such as liquefied hydrogen and hydrogen charging stations. Hyundai Mobis’s e-CCPM is an electrification solution that integrates electrification technology into a freely adjustable aluminum frame, enabling the production of various purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) without developing separate platforms for each vehicle type. Hyosung is the top domestic company for hydrogen charging station equipment and has also expanded its carbon fiber business, mainly used for fuel tanks. Lee Myung-ho, Director of the Near-Distance Electric Vehicle Association, evaluated that they "contributed to the advancement of eco-friendly vehicle parts technology and accumulated foundational technology for hydrogen charging stations."

The Mobility R&D Award from the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association was given to Korea GM. Their ‘light-sizing’ technology, which reduces engine displacement while maintaining vehicle performance, received attention. The Mobility Technology Award from the Asia Economy President was awarded to Kakao Mobility, and the Smart Green Award went to Renault Korea Motors. Kakao Mobility was highly praised for acquiring overseas companies and directly expanding abroad to build a global platform covering both domestic and international markets. Renault Korea received positive evaluations for the energy efficiency of its hybrid vehicle-exclusive multi-mode gearbox.

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