Hyundai Glovis to supply electric trucks to SSG.com

Hyundai Glovis CEO Kim Jung-hoon, right, with SSG.com CEO Choi Woo-jung, left, and other officials after signing a memorandum of understanding to supply electric delivery trucks to the retailer. / Courtesy of Hyundai Glovis

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Hyundai Glovis, a logistics unit of Hyundai Motor Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with online retailer SSG.com to provide electric trucks equipped with cold-chain systems, the company said Wednesday.

The system manages stock in a temperature-controlled supply chain. The latest deal comes amid intensifying competition for eco-friendly delivery among retailers.

Hyundai Glovis said it will deploy one-ton Porter electric vehicles (EVs) and Bongo EVs by the first half of next year.

“It will be the first electric truck to be equipped with a cold-chain system that allows it to deliver refrigerated and frozen products,” a Hyundai Glovis official said.

The company expects the electric trucks will also benefit the environment.

“It can reduce fine dust, noise, fuel costs and other harmful environmental factors,” the official said.

Both companies will test the electric trucks in the first half of 2020 once the vehicle is developed. They will then gradually deploy them through SSG.com's logistics center NEO 003 in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.

The construction of NEO 003 will be completed by end of this year.

The two sides expect the use of electric trucks will expand in the industry as retailers compete over eco-friendly delivery services.