GS Caltex, LG team up to build gas stations that charge EVs
Published: 22 Jan. 2019, 20:26
LG Electronics CTO Park Il-pyung, second from left, and Jang In-yung, GS Caltex executive vice president of retail marketing, third from left, pose at an MOU signing ceremony at LG Electronics’ R&D campus in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Tuesday. The two companies will cooperate to launch hybrid charging stations. [LG ELECTRONICS]
Representatives from the two companies met at LG Electronics’ R&D Campus in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Tuesday to sign a memorandum of understanding to work together to build what they call energy-mobility convergence stations.
According to the companies, the hybrid stations will offer new services for EV owners like electric chargers and EV car-sharing and maintenance services to meet rising demand. The stations will continue offering existing services like car washing services, repairs and pumps for gas-powered cars.
LG Electronics will provide the hybrid stations with 350-kilowatt EV chargers. The electronics giant said it is also reviewing the possibility of introducing EV charging innovations such as robot-controlled and wireless charging methods, as well as artificial intelligence-powered EV repair services that can detect any abnormalities in vehicles while they are charging.
Last month, GS Caltex announced that it had acquired 10 percent of GreenCar, a Lotte Rental subsidiary that rents out hybrids and EVs like Hyundai’s Ioniq. The partnership between the oil refiner and the car-sharing company is expected to play an important role in the new hybrid stations’ car-sharing services.
The two companies plan to launch the first hybrid station at a GS Caltex gas station in Seoul by the end of this year. Instead of building new stations, they will gradually add the new services to existing GS Caltex gas stations.
“The energy-mobility convergence station we are pursuing with GS Caltex will become the charging, maintenance and convenience hub of the EV era,” said Park Il-pyung, LG Electronics chief technology officer.
“We will continue expanding our range of services to customers like EV charging, car-sharing and maintenance through cooperation with LG Electronics,” said Jang In-yung, GS Caltex executive vice president of retail marketing.
BY KIM EUN-JIN [kim.eunjin1@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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