The federal government’s much-hyped carbon neutrality pledge is seen by many specialists and business officers as unrealistic and rash, notably within the period of eco-friendly mobility, because it lacks a concrete roadmap and ample funding in supporting infrastructure.
In accordance with the Presidential Fee on Carbon Neutrality and Inexperienced Progress, the federal government plans for electrical and hydrogen automobiles to characterize greater than 40 % of recent automobile gross sales by 2030, growing to 70 % by 2035.
As of 2024, electrical automobiles (EVs) and hydrogen vehicles accounted for simply 9.2 % of Korea’s whole auto gross sales, in line with information from the Korea Car Producers Affiliation. This has raised doubts about whether or not the federal government can obtain its goal in such a short while with out important coverage help.
Consultants level out that the main focus needs to be on guaranteeing a sustainable electrical energy provide for such numerous EVs. They are saying the federal government ought to keep away from making what seems to be a populist pledge and as a substitute develop a extra sensible roadmap for increasing eco-friendly mobility within the nation.
“The federal government’s goal is way from actuality, as Korea merely doesn’t have the electrical energy technology capability to help that many electrical and hydrogen automobiles,” mentioned Lee Ho-geun, an automotive engineering professor at Daeduk College.
A person expenses an electrical car at a charging station in Seoul, Oct. 9. Yonhap
The professional mentioned the federal government won’t ever obtain the purpose with out constructing extra nuclear energy vegetation.
Korea nonetheless depends on coal and liquefied pure gasoline to generate about 60 % of its electrical energy. Given the nation’s restricted land space, increasing the provision of renewable power for energy technology stays a big problem.
“This implies the federal government can’t obtain its eco-friendly car gross sales goal inside the acknowledged timeline,” Lee mentioned. “The growth of nuclear energy vegetation appears inevitable for the fast provide of EVs and hydrogen vehicles, however President Lee Jae Myung and his administration stay lukewarm in its coverage drive for nuclear energy vegetation.”
In accordance with information from the European Car Producers’ Affiliation, all-electric vehicles accounted for 17.5 % of whole new car gross sales in Europe within the first half of 2025, a lot greater than in Korea.
Trade officers mentioned that the extent of EV acceptance amongst European clients is usually greater than amongst Korean customers, as a result of perceptions of eco-friendly automobiles and the supporting infrastructure.
“Europe has a excessive stage of notion on carbon neutrality and eco-friendly mobility, as evidenced by fast gross sales progress of EVs there,” an auto business official mentioned. “As an illustration, greater than half of recent car gross sales are EVs in Northern European nations. In Europe, EV charging infrastructures are established a lot better than these in Korea.”
One other auto business official mentioned lingering security considerations concerning EVs are hindering the expansion of eco-friendly mobility in Korea.
“Considerations about potential EV fires nonetheless stop a lot of clients from buying electrical vehicles right here,” the official mentioned. “Even when the federal government takes steps to strengthen certification on EV batteries, it’ll take extra time for most of the people to belief EVs as dependable and secure vehicles.”
