Demonstrating their ever-expanding commitment to reducing carbon emissions and green technology, the Seoul Metro City government has deployed a mini-fleet of electric vehicles to the streets.
The city has launched this program with five Hyundai Carnival SUVs that were retrofitted with electric power-plants. The city government sees these eco-friendly vehicles in use during the G20 Summit later in the year.
They shouldn’t have any trouble keeping up with traffic in Seoul, because they are capable of achieving 150KM per hour and reach speeds of 100KM per hour in just 9 seconds. Other gas-powered SUVs take up to 15 seconds to reach the same speed. One limiting factor is the range - the electric vehicles can only go about 140 KM on a charge.
Electric vehicles in general are very quiet to operate and economical, too. The Carnival SUVs will cost less than 30% of what it costs to operate the same model equipped with a diesel engine and generate substantially less noxious gas.
A downside is the cost to produce the cars. They will typically be 2 to 3 times as expensive as a non-altered car. As the vehicles are produced in greater quantities, efficiencies in the process will materialize, resulting in the costs going down.
The Korea Transportation Safety Authority partnered with the city to make the proposal a reality. Electric vehicles which have been seen around town in the past were two-passenger models. The new vehicles will carry six passengers, making them far more practical for meeting the needs of the metropolitan government.
