Strategic agreement will work to deploy Hyundai’s automatic EV charging robots

Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) and Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) have forged a strategic agreement to deploy artificial intelligence (AI)-based electric vehicle (EV) automatic charging robots (ACRs) at the airport as part of a demonstration project.

To that end, the Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIAC. The signing was attended by Heui Won Yang, president and head of the Research & Development (R&D) Division at Hyundai Motor Group; Hag Jae Lee, president and CEO of Incheon International Airport Corporation; and other officials from both parties.

“This collaboration will serve as a significant milestone in verifying the practical benefits of future mobility technologies by combining Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics and AI capabilities with Incheon International Airport Corporation’s extensive operational experience,” says Heui Won Yang. “Hyundai Motor Group aims to offer a more convenient and enhanced mobility experience through a customized automatic charging solution that can be used in any setting. We also look forward to working with Incheon International Airport to build various mobility infrastructures and lead the future mobility ecosystem.”

The endeavor leverages the Group’s advanced robotics and AI to streamline EV charging and accommodate the expected passenger influx after the ‘Incheon Airport 4.0 Era’ expansion and transformation into an ‘Aviation AI Innovation Hub.’ By providing seamless, secure EV charging, the partners will work towards making Incheon International Airport a model of innovation and efficiency in sustainable transport.

“We expect this partnership to significantly enhance service and improve operational efficiency at Incheon International Airport,” says Hag Jae Lee. “Moving forward, Incheon International Airport will continue to advance as the world’s leading digital airport, based on its excellent infrastructure and technological capabilities.”

Through this project, the Group and IIAC will focus on ensuring the safety of the ACR, which received Korean certification (KC) last year, attesting to its stability and quality. It also obtained CE certification by meeting the European Union’s basic safety requirements, ensuring safer use for customers.

The partners plan to accelerate the adoption of electrified vehicles by expanding EV automatic charging services to various domestic and international transportation infrastructures such as airports, seaports, and railways.

The Group’s Robotics LAB has already undertaken several ACR demonstration projects, including the ‘robot-friendly building’ initiative at Factorial Seongsu in Seoul, which began in 2024. Building on its robotics experience, the Group plans to expand the ACR’s usage to enhance security for Incheon International Airport, which holds the highest national security grade, and to introduce the Robotics Total Solution (RTS).

The Group will provide robotics hardware and software solutions, support the construction and performance optimization of the ACR, and offer smart parking solutions. They also plan to identify charging robot scenarios that take into consideration the airport’s characteristics.

IIAC will provide the airport site as a demonstration environment for the development of AI-based EV charging services. They also plan to support verification of the charging robots’ usability and collect and provide user feedback data.