The 11th International e-Mobility Expo kicked off on April 30th at the Jeju International Convention Center (Jeju ICC) and will run until May 3rd, spanning a four-day schedule.
This year’s expo, themed “A Global Green e-Mobility and Energy Industry Transformation Platform,” is co-hosted by the International e-Mobility Expo and the Global EV Council, with the 11th International e-Mobility Expo Organizing Committee overseeing the event.
In its 11th year, the International e-Mobility Expo has changed its name from the previous “International Electric Vehicle Expo” to “International e-Mobility Expo,” reflecting its expanded scope beyond electric vehicles to other sectors such as electric ships and UAM (Urban Air Mobility).
The expo features prominent programs such as exhibitions, a global conference addressing significant issues in line with the esteemed reputation of the “Davos Forum for e-Mobility,” and B2B business meetings that are attracting significant attention.
Highlighting the next generation of e-mobility leaders, student competitions like the 3rd International University Student EV Autonomous Driving Contest and a drone contest are also garnering interest.
During the opening ceremony held that afternoon, Co-chairman Kim Dae-hwan stated, “Our expo has established itself as a hub of e-mobility that encompasses electric vehicles, eco-friendly ships, UAM, and smart agricultural machinery, gathering significant energy in the industry. We are pioneering the rapid technological evolution of e-mobility while expanding a win-win business ecosystem in the current era of energy industry transformation.”
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Deputy Governor Kim Sung-jung, in his welcome speech, referenced the International Electric Vehicle Expo’s launch in 2014 aiming for “Davos for Electric Vehicles,” noting that it has driven the popularization of electric vehicles. He added, “This year’s change to ‘International e-Mobility Expo’ marks our 11th anniversary and focuses on ‘Evolution of e-Mobility, Innovation in Energy’—an important opportunity to seek new paths for a sustainable future.”
Over 300 attendees included Members of the National Assembly such as Wi Seon-gon and Lee Yong-bin, along with Co-Chairs like Moon Kuk-hyun of the New Paradigm Institute, former Minister of Industry Lee Hee-bum (currently Chairman of Daewoo E&C), Wang Lu-xin, Chief Consul of China in Jeju, local council members, university chancellors, and various leaders from organizations and enterprises.
Following the opening ceremony, a global e-mobility summit themed “Challenges and Opportunities in the e-Mobility Industry” took place.
This summit, moderated by former Minister Lee Hee-bum, featured presentations and discussions from experts in sectors such as electric ships, UAM, batteries, wind power, hydrogen, defense industry, electrification components, and startup economy.
The expo’s hallmark exhibition showcases products that demonstrate the current state of the rapidly evolving e-mobility industry, including electric vehicles, electric ships, UAM, and smart agricultural machinery.
Visitors can test-drive representative electric vehicles from major domestic companies like Hyundai and KG Mobility, along with global automotive brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and Polestar.
Global companies including Hanwha Aerospace, Doosan Mobility, Danfoss (Denmark), and Hengtong Group (China) are presenting various upstream and downstream components such as batteries, charging infrastructure, and motors.
At the B2B business consultation meetings, over 100 companies from the domestic and international e-mobility sectors have pre-registered to facilitate around 500 meetings.
Diverse conferences featuring experts from 50 countries are segmented into over 150 sessions throughout this expo.
Additionally, following last year’s success, the 2nd International Electric Ship Expo Forum will be held on May 2nd and 3rd to assess the rapidly growing domestic and international electric ship ecosystem and share technological advancements.
The Jeju ICC’s indoor and outdoor spaces are buzzing with the student EV autonomous driving contest and drone contest, becoming a stage of camaraderie for future e-mobility innovators.
Meanwhile, the morning session included the gathering of the World EV Council (GEAN) where awards were presented to 14 companies for the newly established ‘IEVE Innovation Technology Award’ this year.
The awarded companies include ▲Seohan Inmobility ▲Innomotive ▲H Energy ▲Parity ▲NearLab ▲DSI ▲Sibling Partners ▲Masterbolt Korea ▲Hanwha Aerospace ▲Jeju Marine Tech ▲Canevo Mobility ▲Ucon Creative ▲EV Link ▲SPG Korea.
Following the afternoon ceremony, the GEAN Awards were presented to ▲Hanwha Aerospace ▲Danfoss ▲KETI (Korea Electronics Technology Institute) ▲Philippine Electric Vehicle Association ▲Korea Robot Industry Promotion Agency.
By Sang-jin Lee, daedusj@autodiary.kr