For EVs, Hyundai chosen as preferred manufacturer

Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 5 [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Hyundai Motor was picked as the preferred electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer in Korea, followed by Tesla, according to a survey done by xEV Trend Korea 2021.

xEV Trend Korea is an annual exhibition dedicated to the EV industry. All sectors participate from auto manufacturers and parts makers to charging infrastructure operators and companies offering various related services. This is the exhibition's fourth year since its launch in 2018.

According to the survey of 1,467 adults from April 19 to May 14, Hyundai Motor was the preferred EV brand according to 36 percent of respondents. Tesla came in second with 31 percent, followed by Kia, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

“Hyundai Motor’s popularity seemed to have derived from the launch of the Ioniq 5 and the Ioniq 6, which is slated to launch in Korea next year,” the operation bureau of the exhibition said in a release Thursday.

Nearly 90 percent of respondents said they were willing to purchase an EV within the next five years. Of the 90 percent, nearly half said they were willing to buy an EV within the next two to three years.

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Range was the most important factor in an EV purchase, according to the survey. Thirty-two percent of respondents said they consider how long a vehicle can run on a single charge the most important factor, followed by charging infrastructure (with 23 percent) and price (17 percent).

In terms of price, 58 percent of respondents said they were looking for an EV costing between 30 million and 50 million won. Eleven percent said they wanted an EV between 50 million and 80 million won.

“Last year, those who wanted an EV in a price range between 50 million and 80 million won were at 7 percent. The higher figure indicates that people are gradually wanting more high-end EV models,” the release said.

Korea's EV market is still dominated by Tesla with its flagship Model 3 selling 3,265 units this year as of April, according to data from CarIsYou. Porsche's Taycan came in second with 496 units and Mercedes-Benz's EQC third with 242 units.

Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 5 caused a splash after its launch early this year, and chalked up 40,000 orders. Due to shortages of auto semiconductors and other key components such as electric motors, however, deliveries have been delayed. Only 100 units of the Ioniq 5 have been delivered so far.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]