Mercedes-Benz Electric Cars Now Available on SoCar

Vice President Wi Hyun-jong of Socar (right) and Executive Vice President Lee Sang-guk, Head of Mercedes-Benz Korea Sales Division (left)

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Socar announced on the 1st that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Mercedes-Benz Korea for an electric vehicle sharing service.

Socar will introduce 200 units of Mercedes-Benz's electric vehicle The New EQC into its car-sharing service. This is the largest scale among electric vehicle models operated by domestic car-sharing services.

Socar plans to deploy 80 units early this month and sequentially introduce 200 units by July. The vehicles will first be introduced in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, and by July, the operation area will expand to Jeju, allowing customers to find The New EQC vehicles at about 150 Socar zones.

The New EQC can be used through the 'charge-before-return' rental method, which is the same as regular Socar rentals, and the 'Bureum' service, which allows renting and returning the vehicle at desired locations. However, when returning, the vehicle must be charged to at least 50%. For long-term use, the period rental service 'Socar Plan' allows rentals for up to six months.

Vice President Wi Hyun-jong of Socar said, "Through this partnership, we can expand not only the experience of the world's top premium car brand but also the experience of using electric vehicles. As car sharing becomes more popular and the user base diversifies, we will actively cooperate with manufacturers to quickly respond to customer demands."

Lee Sang-guk, Executive Vice President of Sales at Mercedes-Benz Korea, said, "We hope this will be an opportunity to experience the new mobility era along with the various advantages of The New EQC, and Mercedes-Benz Korea will also make various efforts to expand the base of eco-friendly vehicles in Korea."