Seoul: 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.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon Kyung-sun, the executive managing director of the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association (KAMA), described the country's goal of deploying 4.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030 as "extremely ambitious." He highlighted that 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 further warned that overly aggressive reduction policies could increase reliance on China's electric vehicle (EV) industry, which is known for its cost competitiveness. He pointed out that even Europe, enforcing the world's strictest environmental regulations, is experiencing growing dependence on Chinese EVs. This dependence has sparked calls to reconsider bans on internal combustion engine vehicles and ease regulations.
KAMA President Kang Nam-hoon also stressed the importance of exploring diverse emission reduction methods to achieve greenhouse gas mitigation goals without compromising on realistic zero-emission vehicle targets for 2030.