Electric vehicles take center stage May 3 in Goyang

A press conference for the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition coming next month is held Wednesday at Korea Federation of Industries headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. [NEWSIS]

The International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition, the world’s largest event showcasing trends in the electric vehicle (EV) industry and related technology, is coming to Korea next month.

It will be the 28th edition of the annual event and its second time in Korea. Busan hosted the exhibition in 2002.

It will begin May 3 at Kintex in Goyang, northern Gyeonggi, and end on May 6. The event is organized by the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) led by President Sunwoo Myoung-ho of Korea under the theme “e-Motional Technology for Humans” and sponsored by Korean government agencies, including the Ministry of Environment.

In the symposium, about 1,000 EV experts from 45 nations will gather to share technology and their vision for the industry.

Hyundai Motor Group President Kwon Moon-sik; Anthony Thomson Qualcomm vice president for business development and marketing; and Gilles Normand, chairman of the Asia-pacific Region of Renault, will be among the speakers.

A total of 150 businesses in the EV industry will display products and technologies in 400 booths.

Participating companies will provide diverse programs, including EV driving experiences, and organizers expect about 10,000 visitors during the event.

“It also will be a good business opportunity for local companies, because more than 60 percent of the participants will be foreigners,” said Sunwoo. “We expect the event to help the country to improve its infrastructure for electric vehicles.”

Popular EVs such as Chevrolet’s Spark, Kia Motors’ Soul, Nissan’s Leaf and BMW’s i3 and i8 will on display, along with such parts as a hybrid starter and generator from Hyundai Mobis and xEV Automotive Battery from LG Chem.

BY KWON SANG-SOO [kwon.sangsoo@joongang.co.kr]