[Energy-topia]While Korea Faces 'Electric Vehicle Phobia', What's Happening on the Other Side of the Globe

In June, two pure electric trucks produced by Daimler Truck set off on a grand journey from W?rzburg, Germany. The two trucks, each connected to a 40-ton trailer, traveled for 45 days through 22 countries including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, before returning to W?rzburg at the end of July. The total driving distance was 15,000 km, using only public charging stations. This was part of Daimler Truck’s “European Testing Tour 2024” to test the performance of its ‘eActros600’ model.

The truck was named “Truck of the Year 2025” at IAA Transportation 2024, an international motor show held in Hanover, Germany, from the 17th to the 22nd of this month. The eActros600 is equipped with three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs with a capacity of 207 kWh each, produced by China’s CATL, totaling 621 kWh. The company claims it can travel 500 km on a single charge. Doubts about whether heavy-duty trucks hauling heavy trailers over long distances could be electrified seem to have been largely dispelled by Daimler Truck’s test drive. Mass production of the eActros600 will begin in November.

The pure electric truck 'eActros600' by Daimler Truck, selected as the '2025 Truck of the Year' at IAA Transportation 2024. Photo by Daimler Truck

The IAA, with a 120-year tradition, alternates biennially between commercial vehicles (Transportation) and passenger cars (Mobility) events. This year, eco-friendly vehicles stood out even in the commercial vehicle sector. The “Van of the Year 2025” was awarded to the H2 Tech developed by HYVIA, a joint venture between Renault and Plug Power. This van is equipped with a 47 kW fuel cell and can travel 700 km on a single charge. Full production is scheduled to start in 2025. The Truck Innovation Award went to the HTGX hydrogen engine truck introduced by MAN Truck & Bus, which features a 16.8-liter inline 6-cylinder hydrogen engine.

Hydrogen vehicle H2.Tech produced by HYVIA, a joint venture between Renault and Plug Power. Photo by Renault

In Korea, LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI participated in the event, showcasing their “pouch-type high-voltage mid-nickel cell-to-pack (CTP)” and “LFP+” technologies, respectively. Hyundai Motor Company, together with Iveco, presented the electric truck “eMoovy” based on its eLCV platform.

However, this year’s IAA confirmed the strong European advance of Chinese companies. According to the organizers, about 1,700 companies participated in the event, of which 73% were foreign companies. The number of Chinese companies reached 464. According to Xinhua News Agency, a separate “China Day” event was held to introduce Chinese companies and future technologies. Major Chinese electric vehicle and battery companies such as CATL, BYD, and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) participated. The transition to eco-friendly vehicles is becoming an opportunity for Chinese companies to enter the European market.

Europe has presented the tariff pressure card against China, but its effectiveness remains uncertain. In June, the European Union (EU) announced it would impose additional tariffs on Chinese automobiles, including SAIC, Geely, and BYD, on top of the existing 10%. However, major countries like Germany and Spain have expressed negative views due to concerns about deteriorating relations with China. European automakers such as Volvo and Mercedes-Benz are already closely tied to Chinese companies through capital and technology. Meanwhile, the position of Korean companies in the European market is shrinking.

Recently, electric vehicle fires have become a hot issue in Korea, even giving rise to the term “electric vehicle phobia.” This is a double burden for domestic companies struggling with stagnation in the electric vehicle market. However, while we hesitate, the world is not stopping its big step toward eco-friendly vehicles. China is trying to take all the benefits. We have no time to hesitate.