Hyundai Rolls Out Green Roadmap, Promises Three EVs by 2022 and an Electric Kona Next Year

by Steph Willems

Published: August 17th, 2017

hyundai rolls out green roadmap promises three evs by 2022 and an electric kona next

Hyundai isn’t about to let Tesla hog all the eco glory. The automaker has announced a near-term roadmap for green vehicle production, promising 31 hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, and fuel cell models by 2020, shared between the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands.

Having already joined the fray with its compact Ioniq, offered in hybrid, plug-in, and EV flavors, the company wants a larger presence in the fledgling (but growing) EV scene. To this end, it’s planning long-range, high-end EVs built on a dedicated platform, as well as a much-needed crossover that dispenses with gas stations altogether. The Kona, which arrives in the U.S. in gas-powered guise this winter, serves as a body donor.

Will a 242-mile electric crossover give Elon Musk reason to sweat?

Knowing green car buyers also have plenty of green in their pockets, the company’s next-generation hydrogen fuel cell SUV is growing to midsize proportions, eager to satisfy California’s need for a true soccermobile that emits only peace, love, and water.

The unnamed model, seen above in concept form, replaces the slow-selling ix35 (Tucson) fuel-cell vehicle and promises 360 miles of driving range and greater powerplant durability. We’ll learn more details and a model name at this January’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Of course, with less than two dozen hydrogen-filling stations in California (and not much more than that overseas), Hyundai can’t count on a lighter-than-air gas as the fuel for its big green push. Enter electricity, which forms the center of the company’s plan. Because cobbled-together EVs based on ICE models don’t generally provide much battery space, Hyundai is developing a scaleable, dedicated platform for its future long-range EVs.

The first new Hyundai electric, the Kona EV, bows in early 2018 in Korea. (It isn’t known when we’ll see it cross the Pacific.) Following this, an electric Genesis model launches in 2021, followed soon after by a model boasting 310 miles of range. Hyundai isn’t saying what brand the third EV falls under, nor what bodystyle to expect.

The automaker also claims part of its plan includes creating larger, four-wheel-drive, and rear-drive hybrids. That could come in handy for Genesis, which is aiming for two SUVs and a premium sports coupe to join its three sedans by 2021 (and who knows what else after).

[Image: Hyundai]

#ElectricVehicles #EVs #FuelCellVehicles #FutureVehicles #Genesis #Hyundai #Platforms #ProductPlanning

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4 of 21 comments

Kyree on Aug 17, 2017

That has a face only a mother could love (and mine didn't; I asked her).

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Bd2 on Aug 19, 2017

The Genesis brand now has 3 crossovers in the pipe-line. Seems like the indication is that the first Genesis EV will be a sedan; should have been a crossover or at least a fastback. Wonder how they managed to get the EV version of the Kona with that kind of range considering that the platform is not a dedicated EV platform? As for this FCEV concept, the production version better have some sort of redo for that awful front fascia.

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- Mcs on Aug 20, 2017
  
  "Wonder how they managed to get the EV version of the Kona with that kind of range considering that the platform is not a dedicated EV platform?" Probably a combination of two things. Energy density for battery cells is steadily improving, so a 50kWh battery will take up less space than earlier batteries. Check out some of the articles on Tesla's 2170 cells and Samsung SDI's 2170s. Also, it was probably designed from the start to have an EV version, so there was probably some space set aside for the battery in the design.
  
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- Bd2 on Aug 21, 2017
  
  @mcs My puzzlement wasn't so much over battery-tech improving, but getting that kind of range so soon out of a non-dedicated EV platform. There have been conflicting reports about whether there will be a higher range Ioniq EV and/or how soon it will reach the market - as Hyundai had stated that one of the reasons for the somewhat limited initial range was due to platform having been developed for hybrid and PHEV duty in addition to EV.
  
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