[2026 Green Mobility] The Road to the Future... Seize AI Technology

The "2026 Green Mobility Awards," hosted by The Asia Business Daily and sponsored by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Automobile & Mobility Industry Association, is an event designed to encourage the development of cutting-edge eco-friendly technologies and evaluate their achievements, reflecting the era's shift toward future mobility. Although the pace of electrification is slowing in various parts of the world, technological innovation toward future mobility continues unabated. Mobility companies, including automakers, are fiercely competing to secure leadership in future technologies. Over the past year, The Asia Business Daily has recognized individuals and companies with outstanding achievements in research and technological development related to next-generation transportation by selecting and awarding them.

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Last year, electrification rapidly spread throughout the domestic automotive market. For the first time, annual electric vehicle sales surpassed 220,000 units. While the global growth rate for electric vehicle sales was only 24%, Korea recorded a remarkable 50% increase. Since surpassing 100,000 electric vehicles sold in 2021, the compound annual growth rate over the past five years has reached 36.4%. The electric vehicle penetration rate (share of new car purchases) was 13.1%, meaning that 13 out of every 100 new cars sold were electric. This was due to the introduction of numerous new electric vehicle models with competitiveness surpassing internal combustion engine vehicles.

Last year also saw the full-scale entry of competitively priced Chinese electric vehicles into the domestic market, intensifying competition. In response, both domestic and international automakers are expected to launch a wide range of new models and compete for dominance in the domestic eco-friendly vehicle market. As the shift to software-defined vehicles (SDV) based on artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates, eco-friendly future technologies are expected to become the key to success.

Hyundai Motor Company, which received the Green Mobility Award (Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award), has established itself as a global leader at the forefront of eco-friendly trends. The company currently offers a diverse eco-friendly portfolio, including 15 hydrogen and electric vehicle models and 8 hybrid models (including Genesis), providing customers with a wide range of choices.

The "IONIQ 9," an electrified flagship SUV model introduced last year, has received praise in the United States and Europe since its launch. The "NEXO" hydrogen electric vehicle, unveiled in June last year, has become a symbol of Hyundai Motor Group's commitment to its hydrogen business. Hyundai is contributing to the mobility transition by selling more than 200,000 eco-friendly vehicles globally each quarter.

Yonhap News Agency

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The Technology Award (Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award) was presented to Hyundai Mobis, a leading domestic parts manufacturer. The company has supported the competitiveness of automakers by staying ahead of global competitors in the transition to software-defined vehicles (SDV) and electrification, as well as in autonomous driving, infotainment, and connectivity innovation technologies.

Hyundai Mobis is also accelerating various open innovation collaborations with global companies. The "Holographic Windshield Display (HWD)," developed by Mobis as a world first, is a technology that vividly displays driving information, navigation, and various infotainment contents directly onto the vehicle’s front glass without a separate display device. This is the result of an exclusive partnership in the mobility parts sector with ZEISS, the world’s leading company in optics from Germany.

Kim Pilsoo, Professor of Automotive Engineering at Daelim University and chair of the judging panel, commented, "Hyundai Mobis has not only led the way in electrification but has also pioneered the development and production of future mobility components, such as actuators for humanoid robots and rollable displays."

The Mobility Innovation Award (Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Award) was given to Renault Korea and Kakao Mobility. Following the successful launch of the Grand Koleos in April 2024, Renault Korea has continued to lead eco-friendly culture by introducing the "Scenic E-Tech 100% Electric," which was selected as the "European Car of the Year" last year. This achievement is supported by advanced safety technologies that embody Renault Group's "Human First" philosophy, which prioritizes passenger safety above all else.

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Kakao Mobility has been accelerating its transformation into a physical AI-based company, moving beyond the limitations of a "taxi-hailing platform" to incorporate autonomous vehicles, robots, and logistics systems. Eom Myungdo, Director of the Transportation Environment Policy Research Institute and a member of the judging panel, stated, "Kakao is leading AI-based logistics innovation by leveraging its platform technology and expertise."

The Mobility R&D Award (Korea Automobile & Mobility Industry Association Award) was presented to LG Energy Solution, which is leading the next-generation battery market. As of the end of last year, LG Energy Solution held more than 80,000 patents, the most among global battery companies.

The Mobility Technology Award, presented by The Asia Business Daily, went to Kumho Tire. Kumho Tire contributed to the spread of eco-friendly mobility by developing environmentally friendly, high-durability tire technologies that improve tire wear resistance, thereby reducing the frequency of tire replacement, resource consumption, and waste.

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