HD Hyundai unveils new smart excavators at auto show

HD Hyundai Construction Equipment's 40-ton excavator, left, and HD Hyundai Infracore's 24-ton excavator are on display at HD Hyundai XiteSolution's exhibition booth for the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of HD Hyundai XiteSolution

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — Towering yellow and orange excavators took center stage on Thursday, as HD Hyundai XiteSolution unveiled its latest models at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday.

These massive construction machines, the largest items on display at the motor show, made their public debut at an event typically dominated by car manufacturers.

According to the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai's construction machinery business, this marks the first time a Korean heavy equipment manufacturer has participated in the biennial auto show.

The parent firm of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore said that its presence at the 10-day event aims to highlight the importance of infrastructure in mobility.

"With these next-generation models, we aim to sell 450,000 pieces of construction equipment overseas and generate 70 trillion won ($48 billion) in international revenue between 2025 and 2030," HD Hyundai XiteSolution CEO Cho Young-cheul said.

HD Hyundai XiteSolution CEO Cho Young-cheul speaks at his company's exhibition booth for the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of HD Hyundai XiteSolution

At the exhibition, HD Hyundai Construction Equipment showcased a 40-ton excavator under the Hyundai brand, while HD Hyundai Infracore displayed a 24-ton excavator branded as Develon.

Both companies emphasized that their new models, equipped with a fully electro-hydraulic system, offer enhanced productivity, durability, convenience and safety.

"As these products target developed markets, we will launch them in Korea in May, in Europe in July and the United States in April 2026," HD Hyundai Construction Equipment CEO Choi Cheol-gon said.

Recognizing North America as a key driver of global construction equipment trends, HD Hyundai XiteSolution has placed particular emphasis on the region, where it operates a customizing center that assembles semi-finished products from Korea and tailors them to individual customer needs.

However, the company remained cautious about its response to Washington's newly announced 25 percent reciprocal tariff on Korean imports, introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier that day.

"Our U.S. competitors also import a variety of components," Cho said. "At this moment, we have no plans to alter our North American strategy, as the U.S. has yet to disclose specific details about the tariffs."

Regarding the potential role of HD Hyundai XiteSolution's equipment in Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, Cho noted that the company had already established a branch in the country and was in communication with Kyiv.

"If economic sanctions on Russia are lifted following a ceasefire, we will also be able to expand our presence in the Russian market," he added.