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Electric vehicles

Award-winning Hyundai IONIQ 5 EV to land in Japan as MK Taxi

The deal marks Hyundai’s first major feat since its re-entry in February into the Japanese market after a 12-year hiatus

By Jul 20, 2022 (Gmt+09:00)

3 Min read

Hyundai Motor is set to supply its all-electric IONIQ 5 Lounge to Japan's Kyoto-based MK Taxi
Hyundai Motor is set to supply its all-electric IONIQ 5 Lounge to Japan's Kyoto-based MK Taxi

South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. said on Wednesday it is supplying its all-electric IONIQ 5 crossover to Japan’s taxi service operator MK Group, taking its first step into Japan’s fleet vehicle market.

Hyundai Mobility Japan, the Korean carmaker’s Japanese business unit, has signed a contract to supply 50 units of the IONIQ 5 Lounge model to MK Taxi, headquartered in Kyoto.

The Hyundai crossover EV, to be delivered from August, will be part of MK’s fleet of 700 taxis currently running in Kyoto on the island of Honshu.

In MK’s growing EV fleet, the IONIQ5 Lounge will serve as a “moving lounge” with its spacious interior and various convenience features for customers, Hyundai said.

The eco-friendly vehicle will also support MK’s and Kyoto’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.

Japan's Kyoto-based MK Taxi
Japan's Kyoto-based MK Taxi

MK Taxi, known for its high-quality hospitality and customer services, was named the world’s best service provider by US magazine TIME in 1995.

Having stopped operating LPG-powered vehicles in February, MK Taxi aims to electrify 30% of its fleet by 2025 and turn all its vehicles electric by 2030. The company is also installing fast charging stations across its taxi business locations.

As of March 2022, MK’s taxi fleet had 18 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 10 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Hyundai said MK Taxi chose the IONIQ 5 due to the electric vehicle’s long driving range and fast charging time as well as the car’s spacious second row and a plethora of convenience features.

Hyundai Mobility Japan said it will also cooperate with MK’s maintenance operations in Kyoto to provide technical support so that its Japanese partner can run its electric taxi fleet efficiently.

FIRST MAJOR FEAT IN JAPAN

The deal marks Hyundai Motor’s first major feat since its re-entry into the Japanese market after a 12-year hiatus.

Hyundai said in February it is entering the Japanese passenger car market, starting with its IONIQ 5 crossover EV and the NEXO, a hydrogen fuel cell SUV.

Inside of the IONIQ 5-based self-driving robotaxi
Inside of the IONIQ 5-based self-driving robotaxi

Hyundai made inroads into Japan in 2001 but gave up its passenger car business in 2009 due to weak sales there.

This time, Hyundai said it will sell its EVs exclusively through an online marketing platform to appeal to Japanese buyers increasingly accustomed to online shopping during the pandemic era.

The Korean carmaker runs the Hyundai Mobility Lounge Marunouchi, a battery EV and fuel cell EV (FCEV) experience space, in Tokyo’s financial hub of Marunouchi. It plans to open an offline customer center in Yokohama at the end of this month.

NO EV INSURANCE YET IN JAPAN

Hyundai Motor began selling the IONIQ 5 crossover and the NEXO SUV in Japan from May, with first deliveries to customers earlier this month.

the Hyundai IONIQ 5
the Hyundai IONIQ 5

“EV sales in Japan have yet to take off. One of the hurdles is that there’s hardly any insurance company that sells policies for EV owners since there’s no clear-cut EV insurance premium system established yet,” said an industry official.

Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo Co., a Japanese taxi and bus operator, said earlier this week it has started a pilot electric taxi and charging service. The company plans to deploy 115 electric taxis and buses by March next year.

The IONIQ 5, Hyundai’s first model built on its proprietary Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), boasts 800-volt, ultra-fast charging capabilities with an 80% charge from empty possible in just 18 minutes.

The BEV’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) outlet under the second-row seat provides electricity for passengers’ devices.

Hyundai said the IONIQ 5 can travel up to 618 km on a single charge with a 72.6 kWh battery pack.

Since its global launch last year, the IONIQ 5 has earned prestigious international honors, including the World Car Awards (WCA), German Car of the Year, UK Car of the Year, Auto Express Car of the Year and Auto Bild’s Electric Car of the Year.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.
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