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Hyundai plans to catch up with other automakers, offer EVs

YONGIN, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co is developing its first dedicated architecture for electric vehicles, seeking to catch up with the likes of Tesla in the growing segment with multiple, long-range models. While the platform will not be completed soon, Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia plan to roll out small electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs) based on an existing underpinning next year, said Lee Ki-sang, who leads Hyundai-Kia's green cars operations. Hyundai will launch an electric SUV, followed by a sibling model by Kia Motors next year, Lee said, citing strong demand for SUVs. The subcompact or compact models would have a range of more than 300 km (186 miles) per charge, and would be "more competitive" than rival offerings, Lee said. And Hyundai said in a statement on Thursday that it plans to launch a new luxury electric vehicle under its Genesis marque in 2021, after introducing a plug-in hybrid version of an unidentified Genesis model in 2019. The separate platform represents a major push into the battery electric-car segment for a firm which has long trumpeted rival fuel-cell vehicles, reflecting strong investor pressure to compete more vigorously in a market that has been stimulated by U.S.-based Tesla's longer-range models. And tough fuel-economy and emissions regulations in the United States, Europe and China are compelling automakers to push fuel-efficient cars even though low oil prices have undercut demand. Hyundai's electric-car platform would allow the automaker to install a battery pack in vehicle floors to accommodate more battery capacity and maximize cabin space, Lee said. "The electric-vehicle platform will require high up-front investments, but we are doing this to prepare for the future," he said at Hyundai-Kia's green car research center in the city of Yongin, outside Seoul. He did not reveal the cost. Lee, a senior vice-president at Hyundai Motor, was speaking during an interview on the eve of an auto show that kicked off in Seoul on Thursday. Analysts said Hyundai had no choice but to build separate electric-vehicle platforms to be relevant in the segment. "The separate platform may incur losses initially, but Hyundai will be left behind the market if they don't offer long-distance models, like 300 km, 500 km and 600 km," said Ko Tae-bong, an analyst at Hi Investment & Securities.

Kia may produce all-electric version of the Niro crossover

Kia is considering producing an all-electric version of the Niro, the crossover vehicle that was the first from the South Korean company to be designed as a dedicated hybrid vehicle. Kia Motors operating chief Tae-Hyun Oh told the UK's Car Dealer magazine that the Niro's size, utility, and hybrid pedigree, along with stricter worldwide emissions mandates, may push the automaker to make a Niro EV. Kia, whose sister company Hyundai sells the hydrogen fuel-cell Tucson crossover in limited numbers, is also considering making a fuel-cell car in order to boost its green-vehicle pedigree further. Kia has sold more than 1,000 Niro hybrid vehicles since that model debuted in August. An all-electric Niro would be based on the same platform as the Kia Ioniq. That model has hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric variants, reflecting what Kia said earlier this year was a three-pronged attack to broaden the Ioniq's exposure. The all-electric version of the Ioniq, which debuted in South Korea earlier this year and is slated to start sales in the US by the end of 2016, has a 28-kilowatt-hour battery pack that provides a single-charge range of about 110 miles. Currently, Kia sells an all-electric version of the Soul crossover. That model can go 93 miles on a full charge, though reports surfaced in September that the Kia Soul will get a refresh in 2018 that will boost its single-charge range in order to better compete with longer-range models such as the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3. The Niro was first shown off as a concept model at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, while a production version was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show this February. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Kia Niro View 18 Photos News Source: Car Dealer via Hybrid Cars Green Kia Crossover Electric kia niro

South Korea island of Jeju becoming an EV-incentive heaven

When it comes to providing some island EV love, we can point to Hawaii, which has been pushing hard for greater electric-vehicle adoption through subsidies and a broader charging network. Now, South Korea has Jeju. We're not sure if the surf is as good. Like Hawaii, Jeju is focusing on a "carbon-free" existence and lowered fossil-fuel dependency as a way to help the environment while addressing the extra expenses involved in providing fuel locally, Wards Auto says. Jeju, which is about 720 square miles, provides about $7,000 worth of EV incentives on top of those provided by the South Korean government. As a result, the cost of buying an EV can be cut in half. In the case of a Chevrolet Spark EV, going electric actually has a lower out-of-pocket price tag than buying a gas-powered counterpart on the island. South Korea's Ministry of Environment has earmarked about $14,000 in subsidies for each EV purchase, while 10 South Korean cities are adding on incentives anywhere from about $2,800 to $7,400 per vehicle. South Korean automaker Hyundai and affiliate Kia are just starting to do their part to boost the country's EV sales, which didn't even break the 800-unit mark last year. Kia recently said it will start making its 2015 model-year Soul EV in April, with sales debuting in South Korea by the end of the year. Hyundai is said to start selling its own EV starting in 2016. News Source: Wards AutoImage Credit: Korean Tourism Organization Government/Legal Green Hyundai Kia Electric incentives tax incentives island