Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Hyundai to Launch EV for U.S. Market

Hyundai is finally giving in and developing a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) for the U.S.

There are absolutely no details about the upcoming BEV, such as features or when it will be available. But Hyundai CEO John Krafcik confirmed the company's intentions.

“Our primary zero-emission vehicle focus is fuel cell right now, but we will certainly field a BEV at some point,” Krafcik said.

Hyundai certainly is focusing on fuel cells at the moment, with its hydrogen-powered version of the ix35 finally for sale in Europe last week and a fuel-cell-powered Tucson crossover in the works. However, finding hydrogen isn't so easy, and that could be a big problem for consumers.

Another reason for Hyundai to consider BEVs is because of strict California rules. The state will require all major auto manufacturers to include some form of zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) among their vehicle options. Some automakers have already released vehicles that fit this description, such as Nissan's Leaf and Tesla's Model S.

Hyundai already offers a battery car in South Korea called BlueOn. It's powered by a 16.4-kilowatt/hour lithium polymer battery that has a range of just under 90 miles per charge. Its top speed is 80 MPH and can reach 0 to 60 MPH in 13.1 seconds.

Courtesy of DailyTech

No comments:

Post a Comment