Car Blog

A wirelessly charged electric vehicle went into service March 9 at the Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology President Suh Nam-pyo attended a ceremony unveiling the vehicle held at the Park.

Known as on-line electric vehicle (OLEV), the vehicle powered by electricity from an electrical charging strip planted about 5cm under the road surface, is in pilot operation at the theme park. The Seoul Grand Park has replaced the shuttle trains (called “elephant train”) that run on diesel with the eco-friendly OLEV.

The OLEV developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is charged wirelessly over a 400-meter long stretch of electrical strip and runs an additional 400 meters on the charged battery. The special electrical strip creates a magnetic field that generates magnetic force. The magnetic force is sent wirelessly to the vehicle and converted into electricity, which is then used to power the vehicle. At the Seoul Grand Park, the OLEV will service a 2.2 kilometer-long circular route.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government made the decision to deploy OLEV at the Seoul Grand Park last August even as KAIST was developing the prototype of the electric vehicle. The first OLEV was built and the electrical strips were laid in January. Numerous safety evaluations and test runs to improve efficiency have been conducted since then.

Tests have shown that the magnetic field used in the system poses no health risks. By using segmentation technology that provides electricity in sections, the amount of magnetic field generated is minimized. During a month- long test run in February the magnetic field generated was measured at below the international standard of 62.5mG, the city said.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to introduce OLEVs as part of its public bus transportation system. With buses responsible for meeting about 30 percent of the transportation demand and median bus lanes in place in 25 areas totaling 90.2 kilometers, wirelessly charged electric buses are an attractive green alternative for Seoul.

The KAIST-developed OLEV is commercially viable because of the lighter battery required and because it does not require an extended standby time for charging. One of the achievements of the KAIST team is the highly efficient charging system despite the 13cm gap between the road surface and the vehicle. In fact, many countries have shown interest in the OLEV development as commercialization of similar vehicles failed in the United States and elsewhere.

The city, which is pioneering the use of green cars in the country, believes the OLEV is a solution to Seoul’s traffic problems. The city government plans to lay the foundation for the introduction of OLEV this year. Projects for this year include deciding the routes and building charging stations. In an effort to improve air pollution and curb greenhouse gas emissions, the city plans to deploy green cars in all its public transportation systems, including taxis and buses, by 2020. The city government’s fleet of official cars will also be replaced by green cars.

Last year, Seoul led the way in introducing green cars by becoming the first city in the country to operate hybrid taxis.

Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government

All-new Sonata Emerges on the Top 10 Most Researched New Vehicle List

Brand loyalty for Hyundai recently surpassed that of Honda and replaced Toyota, allowing Hyundai to take the No. 1 spot among car shoppers, according to the latest Kelley Blue Book’s www.kbb.com Market Intelligence data. Up from third place in Q4 2009, Hyundai saw the greatest increase in loyalty in February 2010, with Hyundai owners looking at new models within the brand increasing by 10.4 percentage points to 56.3 percent.

Furthermore, according to Kelley Blue Book Values data, throughout the month of February 2010 Hyundai outperformed the overall car segment average by a healthy margin. Hyundai values increased 2 percent month-over-month, relative to a 0.3 percent increase for the entire car segment.

“A large part of Hyundai’s momentum is a result of introducing passionate new products like the 2011 Sonata and 2010 Tucson,” said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “To sustain this momentum, Hyundai should continue to promote its attractive new-vehicle lineup, solid warranty offer and strong price-points to new-car shoppers.”

In addition to topping brand loyalty, the all-new 2011 Sonata was named to kbb.com’s Top 10 Most-Researched New Vehicles list for the first time. In February, the Sonata was the fifth most-researched new car on kbb.com alongside ‘Top 10 Most-Researched’ mainstays such as Accord, Civic, Camry and CR-V.

“2009 marked an unprecedented year for the Hyundai brand and we are well poised to keep the momentum going in 2010,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “With impressive new vehicles like the all-new Sonata and our dedication to deliver stylish, fuel efficient and affordable vehicles, more customers are adding Hyundai models to their shopping lists.”

This Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence data analysis examined site traffic to used-car trade-in pages and new-car pricing report pages on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, and compared loyalty data from Q4 2009 to February 1 – 28, 2010. The Kelley Blue Book Values data within this release represents month-over-month used-vehicle depreciation percentages.

New survey reveals consumer attitudes and perceptions about carmaker

The current Toyota recalls have had massive effects on the automaker’s sales but the issues have had less of an impact on current Toyota customers than owners of other auto brands, according to a recent survey conducted by Corporate Research International (CRI), a national leader in customer feedback and consumer insights.

Only 6.5 percent of current Toyota customers polled reported they would not purchase a Toyota again because of the recalls. In contrast, a greater number of owners of other car brands indicated they were less likely to purchase a Toyota in the future, due to the recalls. More than fifty percent of Subaru owners, for example, indicated they would not purchase a Toyota in the future as a result of the recalls.

Among those respondents who indicated they were planning a car purchase within the next five years, the majority (66.4%) of those seriously considering purchasing a Toyota said they were still likely to purchase a Toyota in spite of the recalls. However, consumers considering Chrysler (21.7%), GM (13.4%), and Ford (18.3%) report still willing to consider purchasing a Toyota.

“Toyota has spent years building loyal customers,” said Mike Mallett, CEO of Corporate Research International. “This is a true testament to the power of customer attachment and the importance of building good relationships with consumers so when trouble hits, your customers stand by you.”

CRI received more than 1,640 completed surveys from its nationwide group of panelists. These panelists responded to the survey from February 19 – March 2, 2010. The survey asked consumers about their car buying behaviors. Respondents represented all regions of the country and were restricted to completing only one survey each.

Through ongoing surveys, CRI continues to assess changes in consumer perception resulting from the recent Congressional Hearings and continuing problems with Toyota vehicles.

Source: Corporate Research International