Renault to move Twizy Production to Busan
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The City of Busan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Renault Samsung Motors (RSM) and Dongshin Motech (DST), one of the automotive body parts suppliers for Renault Samsung, to relocate their electric vehicle factory to Busan to produce the Renault Twizy, an electric minicar, in its Busan plant.
The Renault Twizy is an ultra-compact electric car designed and marketed by Renault and currently manufactured in Valladolid, Spain. Since 2017, RSM has been importing the completed car for sale in the ROK. Thus far, the company has sold all of the approximately 1,500 Twizy units it has imported. Its sales are increasing in the ROK, while 60 percent of the cars have been sold within Asia.
The successful factors that attracted the Twizy production to Busan include a smooth cooperative relationship with Renault Samsung Motors, outstanding logistics infrastructure and an abundance of automobile partners. Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don met with Renault Samsung Motors’ Dominique Signora (CEO) previously to attract the Twizy production facility to Busan by offering the city’s administrative and financial support package. All these factors helped persuade Renault Samsung that producing the Twizy in Busan will be more efficient.
According to this agreement, the Twizy will be manufactured for five years at the Dongshin Motech factory in Busan, with production beginning in September 2019.
Dongshin Motech’s yearly production capacity for the Twizy will be upwards of 5,000 cars, which is expected to cover not only domestic sales, but also exports to Europe and eventually to Southeast Asia.
Established in 1995, Dongshin Motech is a small but successful car parts maker that produces automobile chassis and battery pack cases for electric cars. Its major clients include RSM, LG Chem and Ford.
The ultra-compact footprint of the Renault Twizy (length: 2,338 millimeters / width: 1,237 millimeters / height: 1,454 millimeters) is ideally suited for urban driving.
