Jeju aims to be carbon-free island

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Governor Won Hee-ryong poses in an electric vehicle. He has vowed to make Jeju a carbon-free island by 2030. / Courtesy of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

Province to replace gasoline-powered cars with electric ones

By Chung Ah-young

Electric vehicles (EVs) are gradually gaining popularity worldwide as a growing number of people start to realize the importance of green transportation to the environment.

Jeju Island, located off the Korea's southwestern coast, has been spearheading a campaign to popularize EVs and reduce carbon emissions since in 2011, when it was chosen as a test bed for battery-powered cars by the Ministry of Environment.

The island is an ideal environment to test EVs because it is small and oval-shaped, making it easier for drivers to travel around the island with a single battery charge. On Jeju, drivers can travel along the 180 kilometers of coastal roads. A fully charged electric car can drive between 100 kilometers and 150 kilometers. Given that most people drive an average of fewer than 100 kilometers daily, the island is the right size for EVs.

The island is also a test bed for the smart grid, which aims to raise energy efficiency and implement green-energy infrastructure.

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Gov. Won Hee-ryong is setting an example, driving an EV himself as his official car since August last year. He is the first municipal head in the nation to adopt an EV as an official car to promote the eco-friendly vehicles to Jeju residents.

As of November, his car has been driven more than 31,700 kilometers and has consumed some 5,784 kilowatt-hours of electricity at a total cost of 886,330 won to charge.

Jeju Island is a test bed for electric vehicles to reduce emissions.

Driving an EV is part of his efforts to make the province carbon-free by 2030. Some 50 percent of the total EVs in the nation are currently in Jeju. The island has been taking active steps to turn the region into a zero-car emissions zone.

"We will make the island the global base for electric cars while boosting the relevant green energy industry," Won said.

Due to the province's efforts, over the last three years, the yearly number of people on the island who have bought EVs has more than sextupled from only 466 in 2013 to 3,319 in 2015, indicating that the islanders are becoming more open to EVs.

Until 2020, the province is providing a subsidy for EV buyers to boost adoption of the eco-friendly cars. It currently provides a subsidy of 23 million won per unit and an additional 7 million won for charging facilities, along with other tax incentives.

By 2030, it hopes to replace all regular cars on the island, which currently number 377,000, with EVs to reduce carbon emissions and other air pollutants. To achieve this goal, the province will gradually replace regular cars with EVs ― 29,000 units by 2017, 135,000 by 2020 and 377,000 by 2030.

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The province said that under the local government's mid-term financial plan, some
211 billion won will be spent in subsidies for 9,500 EVs over the next five years.
The province has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Finance Corp. for the further distribution of EVs and charging facilities along with renewable energy.

"We will induce EV manufacturers to gradually cut the price to provide more EVs to more people," he said.

Starting in 2021, after the subsidies end, the province will provide benefits to those who own low-emission cars and impose penalties on those who own high-emission ones.

"By that time, we think the EV market will be able to grow significantly without the government's supports. Then, we think the price of EVs will stabilize and the battery capacity will improve," Won said. "So even after the province's subsidy to boost EV adoption in the early stage ends, the distribution of EVs will accelerate," he said.

The governor also said the province will build more charging facilities in apartment complexes and expand the incentives for EV users, as many people are still hesitant to buying the cars because of the high price and maintenance cost.

The province will provide 75,000 battery chargers by 2030 all around the island.
Currently, Jeju has some 497 charging stations, including 48 fast-charging stations. This means that drivers can use one charging station for every 3.72 square kilometers.

In addition to promoting EVs, the province will also encourage people to use car-sharing services to reduce the soaring traffic.

According to the Ministry of Environment, a driver of a gasoline-powered car can save up to 2.4 million won a year if they replace it with a battery-powered car. If the driver travels 30 kilometers a day, his or her monthly fuel expenses will likely drop to 50,000 won from 200,000 won or 300,000 won.

Won is also emphasizing the plan to replace public transportation, including buses, and taxis with EVs in the long term. So far, the province has introduced 49 electric buses this year and aims to introduce 119 units by 2017. It will gradually replace all 470 of its conventional buses with electric ones.

Becoming an eco-platform

Jeju aims to become more than an EV test bed ― it wants to become an "eco-platform," which attracts investment in the island's renewable energy infrastructure and EV industry. To achieve this goal, it has been hosting a variety of marketing events, such as the International Electric Vehicle Expo (IEVE) and Jeju EV Eco Rally, over the last three years.

"Starting next year, we will expand the scale of the events in terms of EV manufacturers and related firms, in order to turn them into international events," Won said.

The IEVE was held at the International Convention Center in Jeju in March. Both international EV manufacturers and related companies, including battery and charging station makers, attended the event.

The participants shared an environmentally friendly vision of building connections between automotive industries and the environment. The IEVE has reaffirmed the island's goal as a green island endowed with natural beauty.

Meanwhile, the Jeju EV Eco Rally was held in September across the coastal roads, showcasing various EVs manufactured by local automakers.

Although the Korean EV market is still relatively small compared with those of other countries, it is rapidly growing, with sales having surging 65.5 percent year-on-year to 1,183 units last year from 715 units in 2013.