The Koreans are plugging in. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata PHEV, which made its debut at January’s Detroit auto show, arrives at “select dealerships” this week. The Sonata’s cousin, the Kia Optima, is also expected to appear in a plug-in version in the second half of 2016. The Korea Herald recently reported that Hyundai plans to… Read more »
The Korea Herald reports that Hyundai plans to launch a new brand of electrified vehicles in January. The first model from the new brand – tentatively named AE – will be a hybrid, followed by PHEV and pure EV versions. According to the Herald, the five-door hatchback, envisioned as a competitor for the Toyota Prius,… Read more »
Hyundai introduced hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its popular Sonata sedan at this week’s Detroit auto show. The two electrified models have similar powertrains, including a 2.0-liter four-cylinder GDI engine and a six-speed automatic transmission with an integrated electric motor. The PHEV has a larger motor (50 kW) and lithium polymer battery pack (9.8… Read more »
Hyundai will release an electric sedan in 2016, to be followed later by a sports car and an SUV, company officials told the Korea Times this week. This seems to represent a change in strategy from 2012, when Hyundai Motor Group announced that its Kia division would focus on pure EVs, while Hyundai would develop… Read more »
Hyundai Motor Group plans to produce plug-in hybrid versions of the Hyundai Sonata, pictured above, and next-generation Kia K5 (known as the Optima, pictured below, in the US). RELATED: Kia announces pricing for Soul EV “We will roll out a plug-in hybrid model of Sonata and K5 next year,” said R&D Vice Chairman Yang Woong-Chul. “Since we… Read more »
Around the world, governments have invested serious money in EV charging infrastructure, and plenty more funding is planned for the future. In California, the state government plans to sink a substantial sum into hydrogen fueling infrastructure as well. It’s unfortunate, but perhaps inevitable, that fans of fuel-cells and boosters of battery-electric vehicles will be competing… Read more »
The link between building supertankers and oil rigs and making lithium-ion batteries may not be an obvious one, but the synergy seems attractive to Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder, which announced Wednesday that it will form a joint venture with Magna E-Car Systems, which supplies a wide range of EV components, including lithium-ion… Read more »
Hyundai Motor Group has announced a record-high budget for 2012 that includes 5.1 trillion Korean won (about $4.4 billion) for R&D, of which the lion’s share will be for hybrids and EVs, according to Singapore news portal AsiaOne. Company spokespeople made it clear that eco-friendly cars will be its main focus in 2012. The giant… Read more »
One of the provisions of Austria’s Energy and Climate Plan calls for all taxis to be emission-free by 2025, and this is driving innovation. Authorities in the cities of Vienna and Graz have found that the best option is to provide charging infrastructure directly at taxi stands. This allows every minute between trips to be… Read more »
Total control of power usage: from solar to EV and back to the house. Bidirectional charging promises to completely transform the vehicle ownership experience. Once an EV can double as a stationary storage device, it will take its place as part of an energy ecosystem that includes rooftop solar and energy management—and could even become… Read more »