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Lexus' luxury hybrid LS600hL
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The Korean auto market is facing a wave of new eco-friendly cars. Only a day after Toyota announced that it will begin selling its hybrid cars in Korea, Hyundai Automotive Group said that it will speed up its plans to mass produce its own hybrids.
Kang Chul-koo, an executive at the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, said, "Because oil prices keep rising and more and more consumers care about environment, Korea also will see an increase in demand for eco-friendly cars, including hybrids."
¡ß Toyota to release Prius in Korea next year
It was Toyota that kicked things off. The world's largest automaker said last Thursday that it will use the Prius hybrid to enter the Korean market. The Prius is one of the Japanese company's bestsellers, selling more than 940,000 units worldwide since its mass production began in 1997. The company also plans to import into Korea its Camry hybrid, which is currently available only in North America.
Toyota is at the vanguard of the development and production of hybrid cars, having sold over 1.25 million hybrids since the Prius was released in 1997. Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe said in his New Year's address for 2008 that the company aims to increase its annual sales of hybrids to the one million level by 2010.
Honda, which introduced its Civic hybrid in Korea last year, plans to double its sales here to some 120 cars. A company source said, "We already asked headquarters in Japan to greatly raise the volume allocated for the Korean market this year. We also plan to introduce a new hybrid model next year."
¡ß Hyundai to commercialize hybrids by 2009
Hyundai Automotive Group is doing its utmost to cope with the trend. It plans to produce a hybrid version of the Hyundai Avante (sold in North America as the Elantra) semi-sedan next year, as well as develop hybrid versions of its other major models. The Avante Hybrid will boast incomparable fuel efficiency, powered by low-emission LPG, Korea's largest auto group said. By 2010, Hyundai Motor plans to introduce hybrid versions of its mid-size sedans including the Sonata, and Kia plans to release hybrid versions of the Lotze and Mohave.
"The hybrid car market will grow to 750,000 units this year and to the one million level by 2010," a Hyundai source said. "With the mass production of a hybrid car in 2009 as a first step, our group will work to strengthen our competitiveness in the eco-friendly car business, on which most global automakers are staking their fate as a next-generation strategic business."
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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