Long time I couldn’t upload news about Korea auto parts. Today I would like to talk what it is going on Hyundai/Kia after Covid 19.

Today I check the news articles and found firstly that Hyundai/Kia agreed with MOU for expanding provision of electric lorry such as Porter II EV and Bongo III EV models, because of environmental and economy reason after Corona Virus.

The articled has been written on 24. April 2020. http://autotimes.hankyung.com/apps/news.sub_view?nkey=202004271128271

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the article in English version.

Covid19 affected the whole of our world, no exception cases for Hyundai/Kia, I think.

I saw the article which states that Hyundai/Kia’s net profits of 1st quarter dropped 48% in compare with last year.

http://www.kookje.co.kr/news2011/asp/newsbody.asp?code=0200&key=20200427.22012010246

For your reference, Renault – 19.2%, BMW – 20.6%, Daimler – 68.9% and Volkswagen – 81%

You can find many news articles about it, like the below:

Hyundai Motor extends shutdown of its Alabama plant until April 10

Hyundai’s U.S. sales drop 31 pct in March on virus impact

Hyundai and Kia Cut Production Amid Drastic Drop In Demand

The above photo is the empty factory of Hyundai in US, as I remeber.

I heard that now Hyundai/Kia also produce even masks for Covid19 : https://news.joins.com/article/23751167

It’s really difficult to find the masks which are made in Korea in Korea. Nobody can buy masks more than 3 by the regulation. (But you can buy even 50-100 pcs of the masks made in China)

By the way, to expand the supplying masks, Hyundai/Kia is considering the produce masks in their factories in Korea, USA, China. It is not for sales, only for their employees. For your information, it’s about 280,000 people who works in Hyundai group(including MOBIS, Glovis, Hyundai Construction, Hyundai Steel, etc.)

Not the same but the related English article is here :

Kia Motors Producing Protective Face Shields at U.S. Manufacturing Plant

Except Hyundai/Kia, Chinese Car makers are actually producing masks, such and SGMW and BYD, Guangzhou Automobile Group. GM and FCA is also producing masks and respirators too.

Due to Covid19, the overseas factories of Hyundai/Kia are closed. Kia Georgia factory shutdown has been postponed till the end of April, Alabama factory – the beginning of May. Hyundai Brazil, Turkey, India, Kia India, Mexico too.