(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on May 21)

Hybrid challenges ahead

The development of technologies for green cars - environment-friendly vehicles -
has suddenly emerged as an impending issue, sparked by U.S. President Barack
Obama???s recent announcement of new standards for fuel mileage and
greenhouse-gas emissions.

Obama said automakers must raise the average fuel efficiency of cars sold in the
domestic market from the current 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) per liter to 15
kilometers (35.5 miles per gallon) by 2016. Starting that year, Korean car
exporters must meet the requirements to sell in the U.S. market. The fuel
efficiency requirement for passenger cars will be more stringent than that for
trucks: Passenger cars will be required to meet 16 kilometers per liter on
average.
The problem for Korea is whether its auto producers will be able to meet the
requirement in time. This is not optional; it must be achieved.
Should Korea fail to reach this target, it wouldn???t be too far-fetched to say
Korea???s auto industry will face bankruptcy. After all, we currently export
900,000 units to the U.S. per year.
Worryingly, experts say meeting the new standards is not that simple. The best
fuel efficiency for a Hyundai Motor vehicle is 12.5 kilometers per liter. In the
next seven years, the fuel efficiency has to be improved by around 4 kilometers
per liter.
The carmaker may consider reducing vehicle weight but the ultimate solution,
experts say, lies in developing green cars, including hybrids.
The fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles produced by Japan???s carmakers now stands
at 30-40 kilometers per liter. If Korea develops similar vehicles and exports
them to the U.S. along with ordinary gasoline-based vehicles, it won???t be hard
for the country to lower the average fuel efficiency of cars shipped there.
However, Korea lags Japan, the U.S. and Europe. One problem is that Korea???s
first hybrid vehicle, set to go on sale here in July, has a fuel efficiency of 17
kilometers per liter, less than half that of its Japanese counterparts.
In addition, the Korean hybrid will be based on liquefied petroleum gas, unlike
in Japan, where gasoline is used, or in Germany, where they use diesel, because
Japan and Germany hold patents for those technologies. And since the U.S.
doesn???t currently have LPG stations, exports of Korean hybrids to the country
do not seem feasible.
But Korea shouldn???t give up just for these three reasons. We need to embrace
the new U.S. fuel efficiency standards as a stepping stone toward dealing with
another challenge. We must start making utmost efforts to produce quality hybrid
cars through the coordinated efforts of the government and the corporate sector.
(END)