Badged as the SM3 Z.E., the car will be built alongside the conventionally-powered SM3 at the carmaker’s Busan factory, instead of the Bursa, Turkey facility where the mechanically near-identical Fluence Z.E. is built. The move makes the SM3 Z.E. the first Korean-made, mass-market, sub-midsized electric vehicle.

RSM said the Korean-made model will be tailored to its home market, including the option to use Renault Group’s “Quick Drop” battery exchange service, which allows drivers to swap their discharged battery for a fully charged one within minutes at an automated station.  The carmaker is also undertaking smart grid tests in the country, which will manage electricity usage to avoid blackouts.