RELEASED ON 19/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)

Hyundai Mobis, South Korea's top auto parts maker, said Tuesday that it has begun operations of a plant to make key parts for eco-friendly cars - hybrid, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The 26,000 square-meter plant in Chungju, about 150 kilometers south of Seoul, has capability to produce 160,000 core parts per year, according to the company. The 71 billion won ($63.82 million) plant was built by expanding its Uiwang Plant.

Major parts to be rolled out at the new plant include electric motors, lithium battery modules, fuel cells for hydrogen-powered cars and integrated modules for fuel cells. These parts will be used for hybrid brands such as the Avante, Forte, Sonata K5 and CNG Bus, and for electric vehicle Ray and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle Tucson ix.

SOURCE Maeil Business Newspaper