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| Yoon Hong-geun, right, chairman of the Genesis BBQ Group, poses with Renault Samsung Motors CEO Francois Provost, left, during a ceremony at BBQ's flagship store in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, to mark the chicken franchise's use of the automaker's electric vehicles for deliveries. / Courtesy of BBQ Genesis |
By Lee Hyo-sik
Genesis BBQ Group said Wednesday that Korea's largest fried chicken franchise will use compact electric vehicles produced by Renault Samsung Motors for deliveries to help protect the environment and increase the safety of its drivers.
BBQ signed an agreement with Renault Samsung and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to create an "environmentally friendly and safe delivery system."
Under the agreement, the chicken chain will purchase five Twizy vehicles from the carmaker for test operations this year in Seoul. From 2016, the company plans to buy more vehicles for its franchise stores outside Seoul.
The city government will offer financial subsidies and other support to the BBQ chain to help it purchase and operate electric vehicles. The chain and other food companies currently use diesel-powered motorcycles for delivery, which have been blamed for worsening air pollution in Seoul and other cities.
"We were the first chicken franchise to offer a delivery service in 1995," Yoon said during a ceremony marking his company's planned use of Twizy vehicles. "The electric vehicles will help reduce air pollution and improve the safety of our delivery personnel. We are very excited."
