High-end EVs offer limited winter driving information in Korea

Kia EV9. [Courtesy of Kia]

South Korean consumers are known to be purchasing high-priced electric vehicles (EVs) with limited performance information, especially in cold weather conditions, as their manufacturers and dealers keep the information undisclosed.

According to sources on Wednesday, a total of 65 imported EV models are available in Korea but only 31 of these provide information about their driving range on a single charge in low-temperature environments (below -6.7 degrees Celsius). All these 31 models are eligible for government subsidies.

The Ministry of Environment has specified both the driving range at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) and in low-temperature conditions for each car model on a website, based on factors such as driving mode, battery capacity, and wheel size.

For example, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers a range of 7 different models, from 2WD Standard 19-inch to AWD Long Range 20-inch, with specified driving ranges for both room temperature and low-temperature conditions.

However, manufacturers and sellers of high-end EVs are only disclosing the driving range at room temperature. EVs priced above 85 million won ($67,000) do not qualify for government subsidies. As a result, those models are not required to obtain certification from the government for their low-temperature driving performance.

Currently, three government agencies - the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport - are responsible for measuring and certifying the driving range of electric cars in Korea.

Among these, only the environment ministry provides official certification and disclosure of low-temperature driving range. The lack of unified certification standards for EV driving range complicates matters for consumers interested in purchasing high-end electric cars, as they must resort to unofficial overseas sources to gather relevant information.

Considering the significant temperature differences between summer and winter in Korea, along with the varying impact of seasons on electric car performance, the Ministry of Environment has taken into account the low-temperature driving performance as an evaluation factor for subsidies.

Typically, larger vehicle models with emphasized long-range capabilities experience a more significant reduction in driving range during low-temperature conditions. For instance, the Kia EV9, a large electric SUV (2WD with 19-inch wheels), can travel up to 508 kilometers at room temperature but experiences a substantial decrease to 368 kilometers, a reduction of 140 kilometers (27.6 percent), in low-temperature conditions.