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Recharge Wrap-Up: LAPD gets Zero MMX, Chevy's new inverter, Hyundai Tucson's new powertrains

Some police in Los Angeles will be riding Zero MMX electric motorcycles on duty. The LAPD is adding the fully electric police/military all-terrain bikes to its patrol fleet. According to Officer Steve Carbajal of the department's off-road unit, "It costs less than 50 cents to charge compared to using gallons of gas, maintenance is simple, and the community appreciates how quiet they are." The electric bikes, with their lack of noise and a headlight the rider can turn off, also have the benefit of stealth, giving the officers what Carbajal calls "an added tactical advantage." The MMX also has swappable batteries, is designed for quick ignition and has power reserve capabilities so the rider won't be caught with a dead battery while chasing down a perp. Read more at Ride Apart. Remember when it seemed like we'd never run out of oil, and giving your buddy five bucks for gas was actually a worthwhile gesture? Drivers of classic cars in Detroit were able to fill up their tanks at gas prices corresponding to their model year, thanks to a promotion by Hagerty Insurance for National Collector Car Appreciation Day on July 11. That meant prices from 21 to 90 cents a gallon, as the cars that showed up ranged from the years 1929 to 1989. That's about as affordable as charging your EV. Head over to Autoweek for more details and some photos from the event. The next-generation Chevrolet Volt will likely benefit from a new inverter being developed by General Motors. GM is about two-thirds of the way through the development of the new inverter, which should be ready in January 2016. The inverter, which has a peak output of 55 kilowatts a continuous output of 33 kilowatts, will be adaptable for use in other GM vehicles. Chevrolet is working to reduce the Volt's production costs by $10,000 per vehicle, which should make it more affordable, and the new inverter could help reach that goal should it make its way into the car. Read more at Green Car Reports. Hyundai is likely planning some interesting powertrain changes for the 2016 Tucson, says Green Car Reports. Plug-in hybrid? Maybe. Diesel? Probably not. "We are covering the waterfront on all alternative fuel strategies, from standard hybrid, to plug-in, battery-electric, and fuel cell," says Hyundai's US Chief Dave Zuchowski.

Sonata, Elantra driving down Hyundai quality scores

Hyundai was the butt of many jokes in the auto industry when it first entered the US market, but since then, it has forged ahead and built cars that stand with the best in their respective segments. The 2011 Sonata and 2011 Elantra were seen as the apotheosis of the brand's forward progress when they were introduced, but falling J.D. Power and Associates Dependability Study results may actually cause them to hurt the company's hard-earned reputation.
J.D Power's study examines three-year-old vehicles for problems per 100 vehicles. Since the 2011 study for 2008 model year cars, Hyundai has fallen from 10th overall with 132 problems to 27th in the 2014 survey of 2011 model year vehicles with 169 problems. It was also Hyundai's second consecutive year of an increase in reported problems. According to Automotive News, many of these problems are due to faults with the Sonata and Elantra, but J.D. Power didn't identify specifically what issues caused Hyundai's dependability to tumble so far down the list. However, the study found that, on average, reliability fell throughout the industry for the first time since 1998.
Getting the Sonata and Elantra right are vital to Hyundai. In 2013, they were the company's best-selling cars. "We'll be closely going through the data to see where improvements need to be made. Hyundai's goal is nothing short of quality leadership, and the report shows we have work to do," Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor said in an email to Autoblog.

Genesis G70 to reportedly get Sonata N-Line turbo engine

The Genesis G70 is still relatively new, but that doesn’t mean Genesis isn't going to tinker with it. This report from Car and Driver claims that the new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder going in the Hyundai Sonata N-Line will also be making its way into the G70Â’s engine bay. Hyundai estimates this engine will produce 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in the Sonata. ThatÂ’s a significant improvement over the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder used as the base engine in the G70 today, which makes 252 hp and 260 lb-ft. Doing the math, the G70 could be getting a boost of about 38 horsepower and 50 pound-feet of torque. Increased power from the turbo four would make the 3.3-liter, twin-turbo V6 less of an upgrade at 365 hp and 376 lb-ft, unless Genesis squeezes out more power. We wouldn't complain about that. The news does casts doubt on the future of a manual transmission option. Genesis offers the manual in only one trim of the G70 now, and thatÂ’s paired with the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. Take that engine away, and we can only hope that Genesis feels itÂ’s necessary to mate up a manual with the new 2.5-liter turbo. As of now, the Sonata N-Line is the only Hyundai announced to use this engine, and itÂ’s being paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic in that application. Car and Driver says the manual take rate on the G70 so far is only 4 percent, which isnÂ’t a promising statistic. The most obvious time for this powertrain news would be paired to a mid-cycle refresh of the G70. As itÂ’s still a relatively new car, we donÂ’t expect to see that until 2021 or 2022. We'll let you know if any of this conjecture becomes reality.