Ioniq 5 Runs as a Taxi in Kyoto, Japan

Hyundai Motor Supplies 50 Units to Japan's MK Taxi

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Hyundai Motor Company has taken its first step to penetrate the Japanese electric vehicle market by deploying the Ioniq 5 to realize carbon neutrality in Kyoto, Japan’s environmental model city.

Hyundai announced on the 20th that it has signed a contract to supply 50 Ioniq 5 vehicles to MK Taxi in Japan.

Through this contract, Hyundai will sequentially supply a total of 50 Ioniq 5 vehicles to MK Taxi’s Kyoto headquarters starting next month. MK Taxi will replace 50 of the approximately 700 taxis operating in Kyoto with the Ioniq 5.

Hyundai expects to provide passengers riding in the taxis with a moving resting space through the Ioniq 5’s spacious interior, front passenger relaxation comfort seat, second-row power sliding seats, and indoor V2L under the second-row seats.

In the case of the Ioniq 5, it can travel up to 618 km on a single charge, and due to the characteristics of electric vehicles, it produces less noise and vibration, which is expected to reduce taxi drivers’ fatigue, the company explained. Additionally, drivers and passengers will experience the Ioniq 5’s excellent quality and high product value.

Hyundai plans to establish a technical support partnership with MK Taxi’s Kyoto maintenance factory and assist in installing taxi equipment such as driving recorders and taxi fare meters to help the efficient operation of Ioniq 5 taxis.

MK Taxi is a taxi company that provides world-class kindness and service. The American news magazine TIME selected MK Taxi as the “World’s Best Service Company” in 1995.

MK Taxi ended LP gas taxi operations in February and has been installing fast chargers for electric vehicles at each branch since this year, converting all vehicles to electric in line with the global major issue of decarbonization. Starting with the Ioniq 5, they plan to actively expand the introduction of EV taxis. Their goal is to have 30% of their fleet electric by 2025 and to convert all vehicles to electric by 2030.

A Hyundai official said, “The Ioniq 5 is a vehicle with the best product value, featuring a long driving range, spacious and comfortable interior, low noise and vibration, and various advanced specifications,” adding, “Through this contract, we hope the Ioniq 5 will become Kyoto’s representative EV taxi contributing to the realization of carbon neutrality in Kyoto.”