According to a new report, Hyundai Motor Group is forming a powerhouse EV alliance by joining forces with fellow South Korean tech giants Samsung, SK, and LG.
After a successful introduction to the market, Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia and Genesis, has already revealed plans to become a top three global EV producer by 2030.
The automaker is using the electric era to reimagine its brands, a move that is already paying off. Hyundai’s first dedicated EV, the IONIQ 5, is an electric SUV with up to 310 miles of range and all the extras like 800 V fast charging and vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities.
As Hyundai Europe president and CEO Michael Cole explains, “brand loyalty doesn’t seem to be as strong in EVs,” as the IONIQ 5 is attracting a new premium base of customers.
Kia is doing the same with its first dedicated electric model, the EV6, with plans to build upon its momentum with its flagship EV9 electric SUV.
Meanwhile, Genesis continues expanding its presence in the EV era. Hyundai’s luxury brand recently revealed innovative features for its GV60 electric SUV, including facial recognition to allow entry without keys or any physical touch.
Hyundai IONIQ 6 (Source: Hyundai)
Hyundai, Samsung, SK, and LG form an EV alliance
Industry officials stated Monday that Hyundai is now teaming up with other South Korean market leaders, including Samsung, SK, and LG, to form an EV alliance and boost sales in the region.
According to The Korea Times, the EV alliance anticipates using Samsung’s autonomous-driving semiconductors and SK’s batteries on Hyundai and Kia electric models. Meanwhile, LG will supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) instrument panels to guide drivers.
The report notes Hyundai is establishing close ties with the domestic tech giants to prepare for the auto industry’s future, including electric and autonomous cars.
An industry official stated:
Synergy effects are expected to occur through collaborations among domestic companies which are anticipated to have a significant impact on the development of the domestic industry.
The move comes after all companies in the alliance have invested heavily to boost their competitiveness in the rapidly evolving auto industry.
Hyundai and Sony collaboration for Spider-Man: Across the Universe (Source: Hyundai)
LG competes for the top two spots globally in the major components business, with affiliates including LG Display (panels), LG Innotek (camera modules), LG Magna (powertrain), and LG Electronics (OS and infotainment).
LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI are market leaders globally in the EV battery sector. Samsung Electronics also supplies semiconductors to Audi and Volkswagen.
As the race to introduce electric vehicles heats up, the alliance is expected to strengthen as the South Korean tech giants can complement each other’s successes.
Electrek’s Take
Hyundai is searching for domestic companies to establish partnerships with and strengthen its supply chain.
An EV alliance with Samsung, SK, and LG could significantly boost the automaker’s chances of hitting its goal and becoming a top three EV producer globally by 2030. By bringing in domestic technology, Hyundai can cut transportation costs and establish close communication lines for future research and development.
Hyundai plans for global EV export volume to reach 3.64 million units by 2030 after an around $18 billion (KRW 24 trillion) investment to boost EV production and exports in collaboration with Kia and supplier Hyundai MOBIS earlier this year.
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On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
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Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
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Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
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The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
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Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Kia Concept EV2 (Source: Kia)
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
Kia EV2 entry-level EV caught testing in the Alps (Source: CarSpyMedia)
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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