Mercedes donates 20 EVs to social welfare organizations

Industry

Published: 20 Jun. 2023, 17:32

Mercedes donates 20 EVs to social welfare organizations

From left, Thomas Klein, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea, Lee Sung-joon, chairman of Hill of Love, and Lee Hoon-kyu, chairman of Future for Youth Foundation pose for a photo at a ceremony delivering 20 EQB EVs to 20 local social welfare organizations in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Monday. [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

Mercedes-Benz Korea donated 20 EQB electric vehicles (EVs) to 20 social welfare organizations, the Korean arm of the German carmaker said Tuesday.

As part of the company's annual giving activity, the latest donation is the largest size in its history. The donation of 20 vehicles marks Mercedes-Benz's 20th anniversary of having a Korean base, and around double the number of vehicles donated last year.

The EQB is a family electric SUV with a spacious cabin and clever use of space and is "expected to provide the beneficiary organizations with more comfortable and safer transportation."

The beneficiaries were selected across the country, including ‘"Yongsan Haengbok Center for Independent Living" in central Seoul, "Aeawon" in Busan, "Hill of Love" in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, and "Ejiram" in Chuncheon, Gangwon.

Since 2016, Mercedes-Benz Korea has donated a total of 44 vehicles to 43 social welfare organizations across the country to help improve the mobility of the underprivileged and disabled, as well as their access to cultural services and medical care.

“As my last official CSR [corporate social responsibility] program in Korea, I find it very rewarding and special that we, as an automobile company and as a responsible corporate citizen, can directly benefit organizations that need Mercedes-Benz vehicles,” said Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Thomas Klein, who also serves as the chairman of Mercedes-Benz CSR committee during a ceremony held Monday in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

Klein is leaving Korea after being promoted to the head of product management and sales of passenger cars at the global headquarters as of July 1. He has served as the head of the Korean office since January 2021.

Mathias Vaitl has been named the new CEO, with his term will begin on Sept. 1.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]