
This file image shows an eco-friendly vehicle being charged and another in use. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Automotive industry experts on Tuesday urged the government to revise its ambitious target of deploying 4.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030, part of the nation’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, to align with practical realities.
Yoon Kyung-sun, executive managing director of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA), called the country’s goal of deploying 4.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030 “extremely ambitious.”
“With only 146,000 electric vehicles sold last year, achieving annual sales of 600,000 to 700,000 units by 2030, even with all policy tools in place, is highly challenging,” Yoon said in a meeting with industry experts.
Yoon warned that overly aggressive reduction policies would only increase reliance on China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry, well known for its cost competitiveness.
“Even Europe, which enforces the world’s strictest environmental regulations, is experiencing growing dependence on Chinese EVs. This has sparked calls to reconsider bans on internal combustion engine vehicles and ease regulations,” Yoon said.
KAMA President Kang Nam-hoon also emphasized the need to explore diverse emission reduction methods to achieve greenhouse gas mitigation goals without compromising on realistic zero-emission vehicle targets for 2030.
(Yonhap)