[ad_1]
Tue, Oct 13, 2020-13: 34h
AUTOMOTIVE activities are becoming viable in Singapore again as the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing process complements Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and logistics, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday, when the first plant opened. of electric vehicle manufacturing in Singapore.
“Electric vehicles have a different supply chain, fewer mechanical parts and more electronic products, which favors Singapore’s strengths,” he said at the opening ceremony of the automaker’s new 400 million Singapore dollar innovation center. Korean.
“We didn’t think Singapore would ever make cars again. But it is in Singapore that we have made the impossible possible.”
The Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center (HMGICS), said to be the first of its kind, will allow Hyundai to develop new automotive technologies, including for the production of electric vehicles.
The facility will be located in the Jurong Innovation District and is expected to produce up to 30,000 vehicles per year by 2025. It will also allow Hyundai to test new manufacturing models to meet the demand for mass customization of cars through small-scale factories in areas urban. .
“I read that they are even planning to develop an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle by 2028. Maybe one day we will build them at HMGICS and see them fly in the skies over Singapore. Never say never!” Mr. Lee said.
The facility’s location in the Republic leverages Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and logistics, Lee said, as the Jurong Innovation District already hosts a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, technology partners and factories of the future.
Noting that global companies such as Delphi and Infineon, which produce automotive electronics, have been in Singapore for a while, Lee said he hopes this will open up new growth areas for the economy and create exciting jobs for Singaporeans.
“For example, Internet of Things (IoT) industrial engineers, data scientists, cobot technicians, and digital supply chain strategists, these job titles didn’t even exist a few years ago, but these jobs are now at the forefront. and they demand new skills. “
“Young Singaporeans may not have these skills in the first place, but they will learn from the engineers they bring in from Korea and other parts of the world, as we have in the past,” Lee said, adding that he is confident in creating a workforce in Singapore with these skills.
He noted that Hyundai’s new facility also marks an important milestone in the economic relationship between Singapore and South Korea, as it will pave the way for more Korean companies to invest in the Republic, partner with local companies and suppliers, and collaborate with universities. and the Singapore investigation. institutes.
For example, Hyundai Motor is in talks with Nanyang Technological University and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research to use artificial intelligence in autonomous driving, Lee noted.
[ad_2]
