STARFIELD HANAM Becomes Runway for Electric Vehicles from Around the World

Starfield Hanam, a representative shopping complex in South Korea, is becoming a center of the World's Electric Vehicles.

The electric vehicle market is on the rise globally with a market scale that is expected to reach approximately four million cars this year. Accordingly, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government has announced plans to achieve the largest electric vehicle distribution numbers among the 17 local governments of South Korea and to provide purchase subsidies for zero-emission vehicles, such as electric and hydrogen vehicles. The provincial government’s plans have drawn considerable attention as consumers can reduce their fuel costs in addition to enjoying the purchase subsidies and a number of other benefits.

In line with this, STARFIELD HANAM, a shopping complex of Shinsegae Group, has been transformed into a global runway for electric vehicles. Implementing a strategy to differentiate itself from online shopping malls by providing a space where customers can experience high-end vehicle models that are not readily accessible at ordinary times, STARFIELD HANAM focuses on the fact that a shopping mall is a familiar space for consumers who find it rather tiresome to visit individual automobile showrooms.

Electric Vehicle Showrooms at STARFIELD HANAM

Hyundai Motor Studio
ⓒGyeonggi Province

Hyundai Motor Studio
ⓒGyeonggi Province

As of March 2021, seven automobile manufacturers are displaying their brands at STARFIELD HANAM: Hyundai Motor Company, Genesis, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Tesla, and Volvo.

Hyundai Motor Company opened its “Motor Studio Hanam” showroom concurrently with the opening of STARFIELD HANAM in September 2016. At its showroom, which is themed upon an eco-friendly concept, the Kona EV is currently on display. A Hyundai Motor Company official said, “The IONIQ 5, a recently released electric vehicle model, will also be on display soon.”

BMW, which entered STARFIELD HANAM at the same time as the Hyundai Motor Company, has showcased the BMW i8, the first plug-in hybrid sports car, at its showroom (City Lounge). The vehicles on display are changed on a regular basis.

Tesla Showroom
ⓒGyeonggi Province

Tesla Showroom
ⓒGyeonggi Province

Tesla Showroom
ⓒInstagram (@I_love_jeju)

Tesla also opened its first showroom in Korea at STARFIELD HANAM. Currently, the Model S and Model Y, as well as the Model 3 (Tesla’s flagship model) are on display. For the recently released Model Y, in particular, the “test-drive waiting list” often closes by 8 o’clock in the evening although the showroom is open until 10.

As automakers at STARFIELD HANAM have opened electric vehicle showrooms, other automakers including Peugeot are turning up the heat in the promotion of their electric vehicle models by opening popup stores. Until recently, Peugeot operated an electric vehicle popup store at STARFIELD HANAM where the Peugeot e-208, a compact hatchback, and the Peugeot e-2008, an SUV, were on display. It also offered test-drive service upon request.

Mercedes-Benz showroom
ⓒInstagram (@kmu0772)

Mercedes-Benz Showroom
ⓒInstagram (@kmu0772)

Separately from the store located at STARFIELD HANAM, Mercedes-Benz exhibited the new EQC, the first purely electric vehicle model of the EQ brand, in 2019 at a popup store. In June last year, Mercedes-Benz also displayed the Vision EQS, an electric concept car.

Simultaneously offering a variety of enjoyable and practical amenities, STARFIELD HANAM has established itself as a playground for automobile enthusiasts. Automakers are showing continued interest in exhibiting their vehicle models at STARFIELD HANAM because they can maximize the customer contact effect in a region where the annual floating population approaches 20 million. The fact that it attracts family-unit shoppers with various features that can be enjoyed by people of all ages has also driven STARFIELD HANAM’s transformation into a runway for electric vehicles.

Starfield Hanam
ⓒInstagram (@I_love_jeju)