South Korean Automotive Industry Showcases Mobility Solutions at the DIFA Expo 2023 in Daegu.
Significant players like Hyundai, Kia, and General Motors presented mobility solutions and products.
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DAEGU, REPUBLIC OF KOREA (SOUTH), November 5, 2023 – Global automotive companies leading the ‘K-Mobility’ industry gathered in Daegu. From October 19th (Thursday) to 21st (Saturday), major automotive manufacturers like Hyundai and Kia participated in the ‘2023 Daegu & Korea International Future Auto & Mobility Expo (2023 DIFA Expo),’ held at the Daegu Exco (EXCO) for three days. They unveiled their flagship products and anticipated works to the public, emphasizing concepts reflecting the ‘Future Lifestyle’ and eco-friendly technology.
In addition to Hyundai and Kia, various imported car brands also participated in this exhibition. Both domestic and imported cars focused on promoting electric vehicles (EVs), including BMW, Audi, Lexus, Tesla, and others. Notably, BMW introduced its first purely electric model in the New 5 Series lineup, the ‘New i5,’ and Tesla showcased models such as the Model Y and Model X.
DIFA Expo 2023 – Hyundai Unveils Key Eco-friendly Vehicle Lineup
Hyundai presented an array of electric vehicles, including the groundbreaking ‘IONIQ 5N,’ the first electric vehicle of the N brand, the ‘IONIQ 6,’ and the ‘All-new KONA Electric.’ Visitors had the opportunity to board the latest automobiles and examine their interiors up close, which attracted numerous visitors to Hyundai’s booth.
Hyundai organized a camping experience event using V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) technology for the attendees at the booth. Through this, they highlighted how combining multiple V2L vehicles can create an outdoor lifestyle that was previously impossible, emphasizing the concept of ‘outdoor lifestyle.’ Attendees took commemorative photos with friends and shared them on social media at photo spots provided by Hyundai.
DIFA Expo 2023 – The Future Lifestyle with KIA
Kia showcased a variety of electric vehicles at the exhibition, including the flagship SUV ‘EV9 GT-Line’ based on the ‘E-GMP’ platform, high-performance electric vehicle ‘EV6 GT,’ and ‘Ray EV.’ Among these, the ‘EV9 GT-Line Hero Car’ stood out with exclusive interior and exterior design elements that suit the flagship EV’s status. The dazzling lights and the grandeur of the EV9 captivated the audience.
Kia also provided EV9 TV advertisements and unveiling videos, emphasizing the message of sustainability. The non-profit organization ‘Ocean Cleanup’ introduced an ‘Interactive Wall,’ showcasing the process of reusing plastic waste collected from the Pacific garbage island with Kia. The ‘Ray EV’ exhibition, promoting a ‘new urban entry EV,’ also received substantial attention, reflecting the manufacturer’s concerns about how urban dwellers can effectively utilize Ray’s spacious interior.
Eco-friendly Trends Extend to Security Robots, Bikes, and Transport Vehicles
Well-known for their ‘Lifestyle Mobility,’ Daedong Mobility exhibited an impressive lineup at the event, featuring vehicles such as limousine golf carts, security robots, e-Bikes, passenger transport vehicles, passenger golf carts, and ‘smart’ chair robots.
Their gardening mobility products also garnered attention. Daedong Mobility, drawing upon over 40 years of expertise in the chain sector, produced complete garden care products, such as ‘Sub Compact Tractor’ and ‘Zero Turn Mower.’ A company representative stated that they participated in showcasing various products, including ‘smart’ electric two-wheelers and Daedong golf carts.
DotStation, a new electric mobility platform company, showcased eco-friendly products. DotStation, the exclusive distributor of Gogoro products, excels in infrastructure development, ‘smart’ scooter development and supply, battery management, and more. Their lineup included Gogoro S2, Gogoro 2 Plus, Gogoro 2 Utility, Gogoro VIVA XL, and Gogoro VIVA MIX, and they provided detailed information on the application of their exclusive app.
GM Promotes Key Technologies with Consulting Program
General Motors (GM) differentiated itself from other automotive companies by establishing a separate consulting zone. They created a virtual zone, EV zone, show car zone, safety dummy park, and consultant zone to encourage visitor participation.
In GM’s ‘Virtual Zone,’ visitors experienced virtual engineering supporting future mobility technology innovation. GM applies virtual engineering to the design, development, and testing of vehicles throughout the process. GM demonstrated its unique capability to contribute to ‘Zero Congestion,’ emphasizing traffic congestion alleviation.
The ‘EV Zone’ introduced two of GM’s electric vehicle platforms, ‘Ultium’ and ‘Ultify,’ suitable for various electric cars. GM promoted its role as a platform innovator for electric vehicle development to achieve zero carbon emissions.
The ‘Consultant Zone’ gained the most attention throughout the exhibition. It provided an opportunity for direct communication with engineers working at GM, attracting many job seekers. The job fair remained busy as aspiring professionals visited the GM booth.
Since 2017, Daegu has hosted the Future Mobility Expo (DIFA), now in its 7th edition. This year’s event encompasses various aspects of the mobility industry, from eco-friendly cars (electric and hydrogen) to electric components, autonomous driving, and urban air mobility (UAM). The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of the Republic of Korea co-hosted the event – making it the central government-supported event. They have focused on presenting the technological achievements made over the years and introducing the latest policy directions in preparation for the era of fully autonomous driving services and commercialization of UAM, expected between 2027 and 2030.