모트렉스

MTR, a specialized mobility solutions company under the Motrex Group, announced the deployment of its CV1 electric minibus (based on the Hyundai ST1 platform) for a demand-responsive transit (DRT) pilot project at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus.

The SNU DRT pilot project is drawing attention as a meaningful case demonstrating new possibilities for campus mobility systems.

Unlike traditional shuttles that operate on fixed routes and schedules, DRT is a service that analyzes real-time rider demand to generate optimal routes when users request a ride at their desired time.

DRT services are characterized by repeated operation within a designated zone, responding to flexible, low-speed, and short-distance travel demands. As a result, the combination with electric minibus platforms—offering quiet operation, eco-friendliness, ride comfort, and operational efficiency—is expected to generate significant synergy.

SNU’s Gwanak Campus, with its large area, hilly terrain, and dispersed buildings, faces inherent limitations in meeting all mobility needs with only conventional shuttle buses. This pilot project aims to enhance mobility for those with limited walking ability, temporary injuries, or those burdened by long distances—offering a new “right to mobility” by connecting people with needed transportation when and where they require it.

MTR will utilize two units of its electric CV1 during the pilot, verifying the potential of electric DRT vehicle platforms in a real environment. The vehicles have been wrapped and marked specifically for campus operation and pilot identification.

The CV1 used in this project is an electric minibus developed by MTR based on the Hyundai ST1. Previously, SNU hosted a test ride event for the CV1, attended by representatives from SNU Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Hyundai Motor Company, and KVan Korea, featuring both the CV1 demonstration and a showcase of Hyundai/Kia Shucle-based DRT platforms. Following the event, vehicles were produced specifically for live operation as part of the pilot.

MTR has accumulated experience deploying CV1-based electric DRT vehicles with municipal governments and local mobility services, including with Hyundai/Kia and operators such as Seosan Happy Bus, Icheon TokBus, and Cheongyang Gachitayu. These projects have verified improved mobility access for transportation-vulnerable passengers and regions not easily served by fixed-route public transport.

The SNU DRT pilot is significant as it extends local DRT operation experience into a new space—a university campus. Although the operating environments differ, both initiatives aim to fill mobility gaps for overlooked needs using electric DRT vehicles.

Based on its operational expertise in regional mobility services and this pilot, MTR plans to broaden the applications of the CV1 platform. Going forward, the company aims to expand its electric DRT platform to various sectors with recurring intra-zone transportation needs, including other university campuses, local governments, industrial parks, public institutions, hospitals, and welfare facilities.

An MTR spokesperson stated, “DRT not only requires advanced platform technologies but also the competitive advantage of vehicles capable of reliable, repeated operation in real-world settings. MTR will continue expanding the development of its CV1-based electric mobility platforms to support diverse mobility services in universities, municipalities, public, and welfare sectors.”

Meanwhile, MTR, a specialized mobility company of Motrex Group, is expanding its presence in public, transportation, and welfare mobility services markets, leveraging its electric minibus platforms and service-oriented specialty vehicle technologies.