2011 Hyundai Sonata 4dr Sdn 2.0t Lt on 2040-cars

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Hyundai promoting younger execs in bid to 'smoothen an eventual leadership succession'

Experience versus the next generation. It's the decision any organization has to make when it comes to its succession of leadership. But even companies that value wisdom over vitality will eventually have to hand the reins to a new generation of leaders. And that seems to be what the Hyundai Motor Group is preparing for. The Korean automaker has promoted three executives in their early 50s to the rank of Executive Vice President. Chief marketing officer Cho Won-hong (50), PR chief Kong Young-woon (50) and Kim Gyun (52), head of strategic planning at Kia, are all being promoted to the role, putting them in senior leadership positions at one of the world's largest automakers. Reuters frames the promotions as earmarked to "smoothen an eventual leadership succession" at Hyundai. The family-owned company is currently chaired by Chung Mong-koo (76), who has given little indication that he's preparing to step down in the near future. But when he does, he's widely expected to relinquish control to his only son, current vice-chairman and former Kia president Chung Eui-sun (44, pictured), who is said to have chosen the aforementioned US-educated Cho for the promotion. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP/Getty Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Hyundai Kia

Hyundai FE Fuel Cell Concept previews next year's hydrogen SUV

For a while and without too many specifics, Hyundai has been talking about a new hydrogen powered CUV or SUV to replace the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. Now, in Geneva, the Korean automaker has given us a preview of that vehicle: the Future Eco (FE) Fuel Cell Concept. The FE Fuel Cell definitely looks like a concept car, with a clean, flowing look Hyundai says is inspired by water, which happens to be this car's only tailpipe emission. It has a sturdy stature, with the large wheels pushed to the corners. Aerodynamic touches help make it more efficient, and add to its fresh design. Let's hope the production vehicle keeps some of these visual cues. Inside the car, an internal air humidifier recycles some of those water emissions inside the cabin's atmosphere. The FE Fuel Cell Concept also has portable battery packs for powering passenger devices, and the trunk is built to stow and charge an electric scooter to help you go that last mile. The FE's hydrogen fuel cell technology improves upon the Tucson Fuel Cell by being lighter and more efficient, with a fuel cell stack with 30 percent greater energy density. That means more range. Driving range is, of course what sets FCEVs apart from other zero-emissions vehicles, and the FE Fuel Cell has plenty of that to go around. "We have designed the car to run the longest distance ever achieved by a fuel cell vehicle," says Hyundai Vice Chairman Dr. Woong-Chul Yang. It'll go about 500 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, which is especially helpful while fueling stations are still few and far between. Hyundai expects to launch the production SUV inspired by the FE Fuel Cell Concept in early 2018. Related Video:

Judge reduces damages in fatal Hyundai crash to $81M

Hyundai no longer has to pay $248 million as part of a court ruling from a fatal accident in Montana that killed two cousins in a 2005 Tiburon. The judge hearing the appeal revised the amount down to a total of about $81 million. She upheld the original $8.1 million in actual damages but reduced the punitive damages to $73 million from the previous $240 million.
According to Bloomberg, the judge refused Hyundai's desire to reduce the amount even further. She said in her court order that the company showed "an indifference to or reckless disregard of the health and safety of the motoring public."
In the original case, the families' attorneys alleged that the cracking of a faulty steering knuckle caused the fatal accident. Hyundai argued that fireworks had been let off inside the vehicle, which caused the driver to swerve and crash. In a statement released after the ruling, the automaker claimed that evidence supporting its defense was barred from the trial. According to Bloomberg, had the original amount of damages been upheld, it would have been the sixth-highest amount awarded by a jury in the US this year.