Hydrogen cars, EVs take center stage at Seoul Mobility Show

The all-new NEXO fuel cell electric vehicle is on display at the KINTEX exhibition hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the sidelines of this year's Seoul Mobility Show, Thursday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — At this year’s edition of the Seoul Mobility Show, vehicles powered by hydrogen energy, electricity, or both are in the spotlight as the global auto industry transitions toward sustainable, eco-friendly mobility.

The largest auto show in Korea opened with much fanfare on Thursday, with hopes of shedding light on the direction of future mobility. Major global carmakers, such as Hyundai Motor, Kia and BMW, participated in the exhibition to showcase their latest auto lineups and visions for sustainable mobility.

According to the event’s organizing committee, a total of 451 firms from 12 countries participated in the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show — the largest in its history — to showcase their technological prowess in breaking the boundaries of land, sea and air.

Hyundai Motor, one of the most influential carmakers both domestically and internationally, captured the spotlight by unveiling its latest fuel cell electric vehicle — the all-new NEXO — for the first time in the world.

The completely redesigned hydrogen car made its global debut after the launch of its predecessor in March 2018.

The all-new NEXO features an advanced motor system with dual inverters, increasing its efficiency by 90 percent. This allows the vehicle to achieve a peak motor output of 150 kilowatts (kW). The hydrogen-powered vehicle also boasts an impressive driving range of over 700 kilometers on a single charge.

Kia's PV5 van / Courtesy of Kia

In recent years, Hyundai Motor has strengthened its commitment to hydrogen, stating that its proactive investment in the energy is essential to realizing a complete value chain for eco-friendly mobility.

The vehicle is designed for ultra-fast hydrogen refueling, taking roughly five minutes.

The carmaker also reaffirmed its commitment to electric vehicles (EVs) by unveiling the design for a facelift of its flagship IONIQ 6. The electric sedan is one of the carmaker’s two major EV lineups, alongside the IONIQ 5.

Hyundai Motor describes the vehicle’s design concept as an 'electrified streamliner,' with the IONIQ 6 sedan showcasing improved aerodynamic aesthetics and proportions, according to the automaker.

“We aim to highlight our vision for hydrogen and electrification in an engaging and informative way by attending the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show,” an official from Hyundai Motor said.

Kia focused on promoting its strategic platform beyond vehicle (PBV) — the PV5 — by unveiling it for the first time in Korea on the sidelines of the mobility show. Earlier last year, the carmaker revealed its renewed strategy to diversify its revenue streams into PBVs at the CES tech fair in Las Vegas.

The PBV features a flexible chassis, so customers can change the upper body of the vehicle with a different module in line with their needs, such as logistics or leisure.

The carmaker set up a specific booth — the PV5 Zone — to exhibit the diverse use cases of the vehicle. They include passenger models for comfortable commuting and cargo models optimized for logistics and urban deliveries.

Overseas carmakers also unveiled diverse luxury lineups in this year's auto show.

Vehicles from BMW Korea and MINI Korea are displayed at the KINTEX exhibition hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on the sidelines of this year's Seoul Mobility Show, Thursday. Courtesy of BMW Korea

BMW Korea showcased its high-performance all-electric i4 M50 xDrive Gran Coupe and iX M70 xDrive vehicles. Both cars embody the German automaker’s inherent masculine identity, with robust acceleration. The former delivers impressive power, accelerating from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in just 3.9 seconds. The latter offers even more powerful performance, reaching zero to 100 kilometers per hour in just 3.6 seconds.

Mercedes-Benz Korea also focused strategically on promoting its sports car lineup. The carmaker attracted attention from visitors with the Mercedes-AMG GT 55 4MATIC+ luxury vehicle, featuring a powerful output of 476 horsepower. The vehicle is set to be officially launched here in May.

BYD Korea made its brand debut at the mobility show after making inroads into the Korean market in January. The Chinese EV maker displayed not just its flagship electric models — the Atto 3 SUV and the Seal sedan – but high-end lineups from its high-end brand YANGWANG’s flagship large SUV, the U8 and sports car, the U9.

“Aside from the mobility sector, visitors to the auto fair will be able to get updated with the latest trends in mobility technologies in areas, such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and urban air mobility,” an official from the organizing committee said.