South Korea, 1986 to 2066
30 dated events in ten lanes, from 1998 to 2050: how road vehicles in South Korea are powered, regulated, certified, traded and used, and what is already dated ahead.
Draft: CO2 standards for medium and heavy trucks and buses
Proposed in July 2026: makers must cut average GHG emissions of trucks over 15 t, buses and medium trucks 30% below 2021-22 levels by 2030, phased in from 2027 and mandatory from 2031.
Trucks, buseselectrive.com
Where it stands on 1 November 2026
How vehicles are approved
Self-certification by makers to national Korea Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (KMVSS); party to the UN 1958 Agreement (2004) and the 1998 Agreement (2000).
Emission stages in force
Petrol cars: California LEV III-equivalent (2016); diesel cars: Euro 6 with RDE and WLTP (2018); heavy-duty: Euro VI (2014); motorcycles: Euro 3 (2008; later stages not confirmed); non-road: Tier 4 final-based (2015).
Safety rules and ratings
National KMVSS safety standards with KNCAP ratings since 1999; EV battery safety under scrutiny after the August 2024 Incheon car-park fire.
Zero-emission target
None official found (no ICE phase-out date); EVs were 11.0% of new car sales in 2025; draft truck and bus CO2 rules require a 30% cut by 2030.
Net zero
2050 (Carbon Neutrality Act, 2021)
Market
OICA 2025: production 4.10 million vehicles; battery-electric car sales in January-May 2026 rose 125% to just over 162,000 (government figures).
Fuel and charging
10 ppm sulfur petrol; biodiesel blend 4.0% (2025) rising to 5.0% by 2030 plus 3% HVO; only 41 of 159 hydrogen stations open in November 2023; Tesla runs about 180 Supercharger sites (October 2026).
End of life
Act on Resource Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and End-of-life Vehicles (2007); EV battery reuse pilots under way (2026).
Rulebook: Own national rules
Its own national standards. A party to the UN 1958 Agreement and to the 1998 Agreement.
Also on this rulebook: Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, North Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam.
Every event, lane by lane
30 events in time order within each lane.
Powertrain and batteriesTechnology
Hyundai Nexo fuel-cell SUV goes on sale
Unveiled in January 2018, the Nexo went on sale in Korea in March 2018, replacing the Tucson (ix35) FCEV; Korean sales peaked at 10,164 in 2022 and fell to 2,751 in 2024.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
Hyundai launches the Ioniq 5 electric car
In 2021 Hyundai launched the Ioniq 5, first model of its Ioniq EV brand; Kia's EV6 was named both European and North American Car of the Year for 2022.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
Software, data and automationTechnology
Autonomous vehicle act takes effect with testing zones
The Act on Promotion and Support of Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles took effect 1 May 2020; in MOLIT testing zones transport rules are waived and cars short of safety standards may run after checks.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesibanet.org
Level 3 automated-driving safety standard takes effect
Safety standards amended on 31 Dec 2019 added Level 3 rules, including automated lane-keeping, driver monitoring and performance on system failure; the Level 3 provisions applied from 1 July 2020.
Carsibanet.org
Level 4 vehicles can be certified and sold to operators
From 20 Mar 2025 the government can certify the performance of self-driving vehicles that lack safety standards, so makers can sell Level 4 vehicles to public bodies and passenger-transport operators.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesnewsseoul.co.kr
Cybersecurity certification and software-update rules take effect
Law 20298 of 13 Feb 2024, amending the Automobile Management Act, requires certified cybersecurity management systems and sets rules for software updates; it took effect on 14 Aug 2025.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busestuv.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Energy and infrastructureTechnology
Renewable Fuel Standard sets a 2.5% biodiesel blend
Under a Renewable Fuel Standard from July 2015, refiners and importers must blend 2.5% biodiesel into diesel, raised to 3.0% in 2018, 3.5% in 2021 and 4.0% in 2025, with 5.0% set for 2030.
All vehiclesdieselnet.com
Hydrogen economy roadmap for fuel-cell cars and buses
Announced in January 2019, the roadmap aimed to raise fuel-cell vehicle production to over 80,000 units by 2022, 2,000 hydrogen public buses and 820 police buses, with 71 refuelling stations to be added in 2019.
Cars, busesthediplomat.com medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
Emissions and climateRegulation
Euro 3 emission limits for motorcycles
Motorcycle emissions, regulated since 1991, were aligned with EU stages from 2006 (Euro 2); two-wheelers moved to Euro 3 and three-wheelers to Euro 2 on 1 January 2008.
Two- and three-wheelerstransportpolicy.net
Petrol car limits based on California LEV II
From January 2009 petrol cars met California LEV II-equivalent limits with ULEV and SULEV tiers, moving to LEV III-equivalent tiers in January 2016; diesel limits follow EU stages.
Cars, vans and pickupsdieselnet.com
First fuel economy and CO2 standards for cars
Carmakers had to reach 17 km/L or 140 g/km by 2015, phased in from 30% of sales in 2012; targets were tightened to 97 g/km for 2020 and 70 g/km (33.1 km/L) for 2030.
Carsdieselnet.com
Euro 6 and Euro VI limits for diesel vehicles
Light diesel vehicles moved to Euro 6b and heavy diesel engines to Euro VI in January 2014; RDE and WLTP applied to new light-vehicle types from October 2017 and all types from October 2018.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesdieselnet.com medium confidence
Tier 4-based emission limits for non-road engines
Non-road engines, regulated since 2004 (Tier 1) with farm machinery added in 2013, met US Tier 4 final-based limits from 2015; Korea skipped the Tier 4 interim stage.
Tractors and machinerydieselnet.com
Draft: CO2 standards for medium and heavy trucks and busesDraft
Proposed in July 2026: makers must cut average GHG emissions of trucks over 15 t, buses and medium trucks 30% below 2021-22 levels by 2030, phased in from 2027 and mandatory from 2031.
Trucks, buseselectrive.com
Net-zero emissions by 2050, set in lawDated ahead
The Carbon Neutrality Act of August 2021 enshrines a 2050 net-zero target; a 2024 Constitutional Court ruling requires revised legislation, and the 2035 NDC was submitted in December 2025.
All vehiclesclimateactiontracker.org
None for the vehicle you picked.
Vehicle safetyRegulation
Hyundai and Kia recall cars over Theta II engine defect
In April 2017 Hyundai and Kia planned to recall about 170,000 Grandeur, Sonata and other cars in Korea over a Theta II engine defect; recalls there eventually reached 520,000 vehicles.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
Mercedes EQE fire in an Incheon car park damages 140 cars
In August 2024 a parked Mercedes EQE that was not charging caught fire in a car park in Incheon, damaging 140 cars and sending 23 people to hospital; the cause was investigated.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
End of life and recyclingRegulation
Recycling law for electronics and end-of-life vehicles
Korea introduced the Act on Resource Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and End-of-life Vehicles in 2007 to cut the waste sent to landfill and incineration.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
Storage pilot reuses decommissioned E-GMP EV batteries
Hyundai and LG Energy Solution began a pilot at Wonik PNE's plant in Hwaseong that uses decommissioned E-GMP battery packs in a 200 kWh storage unit feeding DC fast chargers.
Carselectrive.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Approval, testing and qualityCertification
KNCAP crash-test ratings begin
Korea's New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP), based in Seoul, began publishing safety ratings of new cars in 1999.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
Korea joins the UN 1958 Agreement
Korea acceded to the 1958 Agreement on UN vehicle regulations on 1 November 2004, having acceded to the 1998 Agreement on global technical regulations on 2 November 2000.
All vehiclestreaties.un.org medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
Trade and marketCommercial
Hyundai takes over Kia after the Asian financial crisis
In 1998 Hyundai Motor acquired a 51% stake in Kia; Renault took a 70% stake in Samsung Motors in 2000 and General Motors bought Daewoo's main car assets in 2002.
All vehiclesen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
EU-Korea free trade agreement applied
The EU-South Korea free trade agreement has applied since 1 July 2011; its tenth anniversary was marked on 1 July 2021.
All vehiclespolicy.trade.ec.europa.eu medium confidence
Korea-US free trade agreement in force
The KORUS FTA entered into force on 15 March 2012; vehicles were the largest US import category from Korea in 2019, worth $21 billion.
All vehiclesustr.gov
US tariff on Korean cars cut from 25% to 15%
A 25% US Section 232 tariff on imported cars and parts applied from 3 April 2025; under the 2025 US-Korea trade deal the rate for Korean vehicles was reduced to 15%.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
EV subsidies limited to makers passing a 60-point assessment
From 1 July 2026 only makers scoring 60 of 100 on technology, supply chain, after-sales and safety qualify for EV subsidies; 27 of 35 qualified and BYD was excluded.
Carselectrive.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Supply chain and materialsCommercial
Korean cell makers hold 23% of global EV battery installations
In 2023 LG Energy Solution (13.6%), SK On (4.9%) and Samsung SDI (4.6%) together held 23.1% of global EV battery installations, behind China's CATL and BYD (SNE Research).
All vehiclescnevpost.com
Hyundai's Georgia EV plant starts production
Hyundai's $7.6 billion Metaplant America in Georgia began full production in October 2024; on 4 September 2025 US immigration agents detained about 450 workers building the adjacent Hyundai-LG battery plant.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
Mobility and customersCommercial
KakaoTaxi app launches
Kakao launched the KakaoTaxi hailing app on 10 March 2015; it drew about 600,000 ride requests a day within eight months and was renamed Kakao T in 2017.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
Uber suspends UberX in Korea
After Seoul moved to ban it and prosecutors indicted the company in December 2014 under the passenger transport licensing law, Uber suspended its UberX ride-sharing service in March 2015.
Carsen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.