SEOUL, KOREA - The electric car featured in Iron Man 3 received attention from the public.
Not only was the car known as the fastest car in the world, but its cool design change negative perceptions toward electronic cars, which mainly deal with their appearance. James Bond in the latest 007 series also showed off his electric car. It seems that today’s movie heroes really love electric cars!
Electric cars are poised to become more and more popular in movies in the future. Tesla Motors, a U.S.-based electric car manufacturer, recorded a surplus for the first time in the first quarter of 2013.
As a demand for electric cars has been growing, major global car companies are turning their attention towards launching electric cars. Mercedes Benz is launching its SLS this year, the electric version of B Class will come out next year, and BMW has recently created its electric product line, “I-series,” with the first model being released in May next year. GM and Ford are already producing electric cars.
Korean car manufacturers are also following this trend. After the launch of Hyundai’s “Blue On,” the first electric car in Korea, KIA, Renault Samsung, and GM Korea all plan to release their electric cars this fall.
Thanks to the worldwide attention electric cars have been receiving, it is expected that sales will reach 2 million this year and 3 million in 2015. A new era where people charge their cars just like they charge their cell phones is coming.
It is interesting to note that this is not the first time that humans have had access to electric cars. In fact, electric cars were invented in 1873 before gasoline cars were commercialized. They once enjoyed their popularity in the United States during the early 1900’s. However, due to the high volume of commercial production of cheaper gasoline cars in the 1900’s, electric cars were eclipsed by gasoline cars over the past century. The situation seems to be reversing itself and it looks like people are ready to drive in electric cars for at least the next 100 years.
Although South Korea is a latecomer to the electric car industry, it has global competitiveness. It currently has the world’s best secondary battery technology, a core electric car part. In addition, the Electronic Water Pump (EWP) technology has reached the global level. EWP is a cooling device being used to cool heated batteries from powering an eclectic motor. Unlike the gasoline car’s mechanical water pump, it is a cutting-edge technology, which requires semiconductor, telecommunication, software, and machine structure technologies.
GMB Korea has its own EWP technology and provides eco-friendly car parts. It has recently signed supply contracts with Chrysler and ALTe, a hybrid car manufacturer. However, it seems that EWP has yet to reach its full potential.
Too much heat generates an error. No matter how excellent the secondary battery is, it cannot function without EWP. To prepare the new era of electric car, the awareness of the importance of EWP should be brought to the forefront.
