[AutoDaily] A local government is being targeted by car companies like BMW, Renault Samsung and GM Korea to extensively supply their own electric vehicle(EV) line-up.
 
With Hyundai and Kia dominating with 80% of the market, the three manufacturers listed above are trying to aggressively leap ahead of them in the EV market. The EV market is considered the next big market in the auto industry.
 
On the 16th, BMW Korea's president Kim Hyo-jun and the governor of Jejudo Province, Woo Geun-min, concluded a MOU(Memorandum of Understanding) in the local provincial government building with other staff members to carry a business cooperation forward in various fields which will include the EV market.
 
BMW Korea and the Jeju Province have talked about their joint enterprise. They talked about the EV business project and how to have a sufficient infrastructure in Jeju. BMW Korea will be participating in Jeju human services and both the province and BMW will help each other in other businesses as well.
 
Jeju Province will be pushing forward a business to have subsidies support running the electric vehicles(EV's) on Jejudo island which will make for a better environment. BMW will aslo have a global launch for their new cars on Jejudo island and this will also create co-benefits by helping each other.
 
On the 16th September, BMW Korea donated the Active E model of their eco-friendly electric car to Jejudo in remembrance of MOU.
 
The BMW Group plans to sell their premium electric car the i3 in the Korean market from the beginning of next year.
 
BMW is not only focusing on the Jeju Province market plan for using EV vehicles but they are also planning to enlarge their EV market to other self-governing areas in Korea like Seoul and Daejeon which are in constant contact with BMW on using EV vehicles.
 
Renault Samsung Motors which has released their first electric car into the Korean market in July concluded an MOU targeting a line of EV taxis in Daegeon. So before any sales are implemented, they will be showing their EV taxi to the Daejeon taxi market.
 
Renault Samsung has plans to market the EV taxi with economic efficiency, the possibility of technical availability and an operating strategy. Through these marketing strategies they will acquire that market.
 
Renault Samsung has also concluded an MOU for the EV market with the Ministry of Environment, EV Industry Association Korea, LG Chemical, POSCO, City car, Kumho Tire and LSIS Co. since April.
 
Renault Samsung will soon conclude an MOU with Jeju Province and Busan for an EV market.
 
Finally, GM Korea is also ready to compete for in the EV market. They will also conclude a MOU deal with Jeju Province and Changwon, where GM Korea has already started making the Chevrolet Spark EV in the Changwon factory since September 2012.
 
 
By Lee Sangwon.
(translate by Lee Jeonghwa)