Electric Cars Also to Be Manufactured in U.S.

As Hyundai Motor began the construction of a local factory in Alabama, U.S.A., domestic electric automobile producer ATT R&D also is to finalize the construction site of a local factory in the U.S.

“As we began promoting the establishment of an U.S. local factory since last year, Oregon’s Sutherlin and Florida’s West Palm Beach became the best candidates. The final decision is to be made as early as next month,” said director Kim Man-Sik of ATT R&D on the 22nd.

The company is to begin the construction by the end of the year, and complete it by next year’s obligatory sales of electric automobiles.

Oregon’s Sutherlin city is showing active support by authorizing conversion of 200 acre (approximately 800,000 m²) of farming land to industrial land, as 600 jobs will be created when the Korean factory is built.

Sutherlin is also providing support for construction of the interchange that connects the highway and the factory site.

Kim emphasized, “As regions like New York and California are to make it mandatory for automobile makers to turn 10 Per Cent of sales into electric cars since next year, the market scale of electric automobiles is expected to increase rapidly. We plan to focus on the U.S. market from next year.”

ATT R&D is currently producing a 4-seater model (Parade) and 2-seater model (Invita. Picture). So-called next generation vehicles, electric cars, are increasing in demand in countries like the U.S. and France, and are said to be highly practical in Korea, where no automobile fuel like gasoline or diesel can be produced.

Dong-Won Kim daviskim@donga.com