Seoul's subway system is joining forces to build the infrastructure for a new eco-friendly transportation option: electric vehicles.

Seoul Metro (CEO Kim Ik-hwan), which operates Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 4, held a demonstration of an electric vehicle charging system using the city's railroad power grid at a public parking lot near Suseo Station last month. 

The charging system, which converts alternating current electricity for subway operation into direct current to charge electric vehicles, can be rapidly charged within 25 minutes and is equipped with a touch screen and card recognition function, making it possible for practical application.

Seoul Metro, the Korea Institute of Railroad Technology (President Hong Soon-man), and LS Cable & System (President Son Jong-ho), which have technologies and infrastructure related to electric vehicles, signed an MOU in May last year to develop joint technologies, and the results of this demonstration were made public.

Electric vehicles are attracting attention as an eco-friendly future transportation method, and countries are engaged in fierce technology competition, and Korea is also preparing to mass-produce electric vehicles for civilian use. However, the rapid charging system for practical use requires a large investment in basic facilities, and the infrastructure is still underdeveloped.

If this technology is disseminated, it is expected that an electric vehicle charging system can be built at a low cost in a short period of time based on the infrastructure of Seoul Metro, which has power facilities in various urban centers in Seoul, and the activation of eco-friendly electric vehicles will be accelerated.

Based on its own research, Seoul Metro expects to install charging systems at a total of 58 locations, including public and transit parking lots near stations on Lines 1 to 4.  "Once this technology is commercialized, electric vehicles will be able to use subway stations like gas stations, and it is expected to be expanded not only to Seoul Metro Lines 1 to 4, but also to Lines 5 to 9 and the metropolitan subway station area, contributing to the government's goal of expanding the share of electric vehicles to 20 percent by 2020," said a Seoul Metro official.