By Kim Se-jeong
The Ministry of Environment said Tuesday it recently installed six battery chargers for electric cars along highways.
Two chargers are installed at each of three highway service areas in Anseong, Hwaseong and Gapyeong, all in Gyeonggi Province, according to the ministry.
Drivers can use the chargers for free, and the charging time will take about 20 minutes.
It marks the first time the government has installed battery chargers for electric cars along highways. The ministry hopes the measure will prompt people to buy more electric vehicles, considered more environmentally friendly than gas-fueled cars.
"This means you can now travel from Seoul to Sejong City, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province and Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province with your electric car without having to worry about running out of battery," Park Yeon-jae, a ministry official, told reporters.
He added the ministry will install 600 more chargers on highways through 2017.
"For electric vehicles, it's critical to establish infrastructure," Park said.
Battery charging is an obstacle in getting people to buy electric vehicles. Compared to gasoline cars, batteries in these cars do not last long, and charging usually takes more time.
According to the ministry's statistics, as of June, Korea had 1,871 registered electric cars. The ministry's goal is to increase the number to 200,000 by 2020.
The prices of electric vehicles are another issue.
The cheapest model costs around 40 million won ($38,960) here. Despite state subsidies, it's still more expensive than gasoline-powered vehicles.
The biggest subsidy comes from the central government which offers up to 15 million won ($14,608) to an electric car buyer. Provinces like Jeju Island, Gwangju and Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province provide additional subsidies.
Firms and public organizations are among the main buyers.
On Jeju Island, which has active support programs for individual drivers, it is less costly to drive electric vehicles.
In the province, electric cars have been a success story. Governor Won Hee-ryong even pledged on Monday to replace all the vehicles on the island with electric models by 2030.
For the central government, creating a pool of subsidy funding is a major challenge.
The environmental ministry is unsuccessfully pushing the program of "bonus and malus" intended to collect penalties from consumers who buy vehicles with high greenhouse emissions, and to give the money back to electric car drivers.
Opposition has come from the automobile industry which argues the program will damage automobile makers and hurt the Korean economy.
Controlling transportation is critical in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Statistically speaking, one vehicle emits on average 2.4 tons of greenhouse gas annually.
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| An electric car battery charger installed at a highway service area in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Korea Environment Corp. |
Two chargers are installed at each of three highway service areas in Anseong, Hwaseong and Gapyeong, all in Gyeonggi Province, according to the ministry.
Drivers can use the chargers for free, and the charging time will take about 20 minutes.
It marks the first time the government has installed battery chargers for electric cars along highways. The ministry hopes the measure will prompt people to buy more electric vehicles, considered more environmentally friendly than gas-fueled cars.
"This means you can now travel from Seoul to Sejong City, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province and Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province with your electric car without having to worry about running out of battery," Park Yeon-jae, a ministry official, told reporters.
He added the ministry will install 600 more chargers on highways through 2017.
"For electric vehicles, it's critical to establish infrastructure," Park said.
Battery charging is an obstacle in getting people to buy electric vehicles. Compared to gasoline cars, batteries in these cars do not last long, and charging usually takes more time.
According to the ministry's statistics, as of June, Korea had 1,871 registered electric cars. The ministry's goal is to increase the number to 200,000 by 2020.
The prices of electric vehicles are another issue.
The cheapest model costs around 40 million won ($38,960) here. Despite state subsidies, it's still more expensive than gasoline-powered vehicles.
The biggest subsidy comes from the central government which offers up to 15 million won ($14,608) to an electric car buyer. Provinces like Jeju Island, Gwangju and Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province provide additional subsidies.
Firms and public organizations are among the main buyers.
On Jeju Island, which has active support programs for individual drivers, it is less costly to drive electric vehicles.
In the province, electric cars have been a success story. Governor Won Hee-ryong even pledged on Monday to replace all the vehicles on the island with electric models by 2030.
For the central government, creating a pool of subsidy funding is a major challenge.
The environmental ministry is unsuccessfully pushing the program of "bonus and malus" intended to collect penalties from consumers who buy vehicles with high greenhouse emissions, and to give the money back to electric car drivers.
Opposition has come from the automobile industry which argues the program will damage automobile makers and hurt the Korean economy.
Controlling transportation is critical in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Statistically speaking, one vehicle emits on average 2.4 tons of greenhouse gas annually.
