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| GM Korea CEO Sergio Rocha, right, poses with Changwon Mayor Park Wan-su, after delivering the automaker's first Chevrolet Spark EV to the mayor at the firm's Changwon plant in South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. / Courtesy of GM Korea |
By Kim Tae-jong
GM Korea pledged Monday that it would transform itself into an "eco-friendly" automaker, to mark the start of mass production of its first pure electric vehicle Spark EV and celebrate the completion of its construction of a three-megawatt solar panel installation on the roof of its Changwon plant.
"Since its establishment, GM Korea has pursued sustainable growth for both our products and facilities," GM Korea CEO Sergio Rocha said during a celebratory event at the automaker's Changwon plant in South Gyeongsang Province.
"The completed installation of the Changwon plant's solar power facility and production of the eco-friendly Spark EV are enabling us to continue our Green momentum to design, build and sell the world's best vehicles," he said.
The automaker also delivered its first Chevrolet Spark EV to Changwon Mayor Park Wan-su. For successful commercialization, GM Korea signed a memorandum of understanding with the Environment Ministry and the city of Changwon during the launch event of the vehicle in August.
The Spark EV's retail price is 39.9 million won, but with the government incentive and a municipal subsidy, the price will drop to 17 million won.
The Spark EV is powered by an electric motor and battery system, enabling the car to produce 143 horsepower with a maximum torque of 57.4 kilometers-meter and a maximum speed of 145 kilometers per hour.
It can be charged through AC/DC fast charging. With fast charging, it can be recharged to 80 percent capacity in just 20 minutes. Charging takes 6-8 hours using a regular 220V outlet.
The automaker said the solar panel installation will begin operating at the end of this month.
With some 9,700 photovoltaic cells, it is expected to generate 3,700 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, which is enough to power about 1,200 households for a year. When running at full capacity, it will generate enough solar energy to cut carbon emissions at the facility by 2,400 metric tons per year.
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