Hyundai Abandons Electrification of Medium and Heavy Trucks, Hindering Green Transition?

Currently, electrification in Korea’s truck market is limited to light and compact trucks with a payload of 1 ton or less.The market for medium and heavy electric trucks(2 tons and above) remains stalled, because Hyundai, the country’s largest commercial vehicle brand, is holding back on development and government subsidies don’t cover this segment.Read more, Click here

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Promise to Improve Truck Drivers’ Working Conditions Stalls for Second Year

In February 2023, the Korean government announced the “Measures to Normalize the Freight Transport Industry,” highlighting improving truck drivers’ working conditions as one of its four key policies. However, two years later, these improvements have yet to be felt on the ground.At the time, the government promised to stabilize drivers’ incomes and improve working conditions, but the reality is that the treatment of truck drivers remains poor.Read more, Click here

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President Steps In as Subsidies for Chinese Electric Buses Are Slashed

In August, Korean President Lee Jae-myung remarked at a Cabinet meeting, “Domestic electric bus manufacturers have been crushed because subsidies were given entirely to Chinese products,” signaling a major shift in the country’s electric bus subsidy policy. As a result, it is expected that subsidy allocation systems and battery·energy density standards will be significantly tightened to encourage the expansion of Korean electric bus sales. With the government projected to drastically cut subsidies for Chinese electric buses, attention is turning to how this will reshape the Korean electric bus market.Read more, Click here

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Korean Government Cuts Deployment Targets for Hydrogen Trucks, Only One Registered by September

Since the launch of heavy hydrogen trucks in Korea at the end of 2022, a widening gap between the initial deployment targets and actual performance has led the government to gradually lower the target numbers for both hydrogen trucks and hydrogen-powered street sweepers.Nevertheless, from January to September this year, the number of units actually deployed in the field remains in the single digits. With only a little over two months left in the year, it remains uncertain whether hydrogen trucks and street sweepers will meet the government’s revised deployment targets.Read more, Click here

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1-Ton Truck Sales in Korea Plunge 17% This Year

According to statistics from Kaizyu Data Research Institute, the total sales of 1-ton trucks powered by diesel, electric, and LPG from January to September this year reached 74,030 units (based on new registrations).This represents a 17.2% decline compared to 89,381 units sold during the same period last year. In addition, light commercial vehicles under 1 ton also showed a slight decrease in sales.Read more, Click here

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“Chinese Commercial Vehicles: 10 Years Behind in Product Quality but Over a Decade Ahead in Eco-..

On November 10, at Zone B of the International Exhibition Center in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the China Commercial Vehicle Show 2025 (CCVS 2025) opened to reveal a massive exhibition space spanning four halls.The exhibition, divided into areas for finished vehicles, special-purpose vehicles, and parts, showcased Chinese companies presenting their latest new-energy commercial vehicles. Inside the halls, electric trucks demonstrated their autonomous driving capabilities by traversing slopes. Read more, Click here

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Subsidy Cuts on Chinese Electric Trucks, Are They Undercutting Prices with Self-Funded Incentives?

The BYD T4K, which uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, failed to meet the Korean Ministry of Environment’s subsidy criteria, resulting in a significant reduction in government grants. Nevertheless, the company appears to be expanding sales by offering its own incentives and promotional discounts. Chinese electric vehicle brands are expanding their share in the korean Light commercial vehicle market. The electric truck ‘T4K’ launched by BYD in 2023 recorded a market share of 10.8% for new registrations last year, up 4.8% from 6% in the same period the previous year. Read More, Click here

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Right Turns by Heavy Trucks 27x Deadlier Than Passenger Cars

A recent study by Samsung Fire & Marine’s Traffic Safety Culture Research Center reveals the extreme danger of right-turn accidents involving heavy freight vehicles.Analyzing five years (2020–2024) of police pedestrian crash data, the study found that 3,575 pedestrian casualties were caused by dump trucks and cargo trucks.Additional analysis of accident databases from the Korea Road Traffic Authority showed a strong correlation between vehicle size and the number of casualties per 10,000 vehicles—underscoring the lethal nature of larger trucks. When looking specifically at right-turn accidents, dump trucks recorded a staggering fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100 crashes—nearly 27 times higher than passenger cars (0.8). Read more, Click here

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Favoritism in Policy? Skewed Competition in Korea’s Commercial Vehicle Market

While the Korean government promotes a shift from diesel-powered medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses to eco-friendly electric and hydrogen alternatives with generous subsidies, critics argue that regulatory frameworks disproportionately benefit Hyundai Motor. Industry stakeholders warn that such tailored systems may weaken overall competitiveness by creating an uneven playing field in the commercial vehicle sector. Read more, Click here

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ISUZU Expands Special-Purpose Lineup Beyond Tippers

CURO Motors, Korea’s official ISUZU truck distributor, is hosting a two-month nationwide roadshow showcasing various special-purpose vehicles based on its ELF and FORWARD platforms. From recycling collectors to refrigerated and tipper models, the campaign emphasizes ISUZU’s flexibility and commitment to Korea’s evolving logistics needs.Read more, Click here

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