From introducing 30 EVs this year, the electric utility will bring in 225 vehicles in 2015-2016 and replace all the business vehicles into EV ones. (image: KEPCO)
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) – KEPCO will introduce small electric vehicles (EVs) for business purposes to encourage the usage of EVs by replacing old gasoline-fueled vehicles which are due replacing terms from this year.
From introducing 30 EVs this year, the electric utility will bring in 225 vehicles in 2015-2016 and replace all the business vehicles into EV ones. This move is part of realization of the slogan of “Bitgaram Innocity” in South Jeolla Province to which KEPCO plans to move its headquarters within this year.
Also to improve the EV-related infrastructure, it will equip 24 battery charging stations including four high-speed ones in expressway service areas this year. Further, it will lead in battery-charging infrastructure expansion through its smart-grid expansion project for the next three years since 2015.
Up to now, KEPCO has continuously added the battery charging infrastructure for EVs through various projects like Jeju Smart Place Proof Complex, the pilot project for battery charger construction in service area, and EV sharing project to follow up with the government’s policy to expand EVs.
So far, it has constructed 131 charging stations nationwide and through the project it plans to play a role as the nation’s biggest energy company and contribute to the stimulation of EV use.
According to KEPCO’s own analysis on economic feasibility between gas vehicles and electric vehicles, the environment for EV usage is improving through the government’s subsidies, improvement in EV batteries and price cutting in EVs. It expects the break-even point for the EV introduction will take 7.6 years as of 2014 and it will be reduced to 2.5 years by 2020.
It also estimates that in 2017 when it will operate 450 EVs for business, it can save 700 million won for vehicle operation expenses like gas bills and engine oil replacement and 190 tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to planting 36,000 pine trees.
Written by John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
Technology (Follow us @Technews_Korea)
