As of 2015, there were approximately 1,195 EVs in Seoul. (image credit: Kobiz Media/Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, June 14 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government will pursue plans to designate three percent of the city’s major public parking lots to electric vehicles (EVs). The plan was brought forth after rising demand for institutional support such as the expansion of charging facilities and other EV-related incentives, amid the increasing prevalence of EVs.
On June 14, Seoul City Council members Park Gi-yeol and Park Jin-hyeong proposed a revised bill to ‘the parking lot establishment and management regulations’ to designate three percent of street, off-street, and public institution parking lots as EV-priority parking areas.
The plan will only apply to larger parking lots that can house at least a hundred vehicles.
The new areas will be easily visible with green-painted backgrounds and white boundary lines, and the new requirement will not be applied to private parking lots, which is the biggest difference with women-priority parking areas that are established in both private and public parking lots.
On June 14, Seoul City Council members Park Gi-yeol and Park Jin-hyeong proposed a revised bill to ‘the parking lot establishment and management regulations’ to designate three percent of street, off-street, and public institution parking lots as EV-priority parking areas. (image: KobizMedia/ Korea Bizwire)
Currently, both private and public parking lots with a minimum 30-vehicle capacity are obliged to designate 10 percent of parking spaces as women-priority parking areas.
The new proposal also includes free parking when charging an EV for less than one hour, and a 50 percent discount thereafter.
Park Gi-yeol pointed to the fact that despite a rising supply of EVs across the globe, there were only 5,712 EVs in Korea last year, indicating a lack of charging facilities and EV-related incentives.
In 2015, there were approximately 1,195 EVs in Seoul.
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
