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Hyundai going with AeroVironment for dealership PHEV chargers

Hyundai will partner with AeroVironment as the supplier for charging stations at dealers for the 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. The 240-volt chargers will be able to top up the PHEV in less than three hours. Customers can also order AeroVironment's home chargers directly from the automaker's showrooms. AeroVironment is a veteran to working with automakers on charging solutions and has experience partnering with Fiat, Ford, Nissan, and BMW. The company also installed a network of locations along the I-5 corridor in Oregon. Customers can already buy the Sonata PHEV in ten states, including California, for a starting price of $35,435 (after $835 destination but before any tax incentives). The sedan has a total output of 202 horsepower from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder and electric motor. The 9.8-kWh lithium-polymer battery offers 27 miles of electric range and an EPA-estimated 99 miles per gallon equivalent. Hyundai dealers might have more green cars on the lot to use these chargers in the coming years. The company reportedly has a project codenamed AE under development, and rumor indicates that hybrid, PHEV, and EV models could be on the way. Hyundai Motor America Picks AeroVironment to Provide Dealer Charging Stations for the All-new 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Model AeroVironment to provide reliable and easy-to-use EV charging stations in Hyundai dealerships Hyundai becomes the seventh major auto manufacturer to choose AeroVironment as its preferred dealer charging station provider Hyundai drivers have the option to purchase AeroVironment's portable TurboCord charging system or its wall-mounted EVSE-RS charging station SIMI VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 24, 2015 – Hyundai Motor America has selected AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) as the preferred provider for charging system installation at its dealerships across North America for its all-new 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. Hyundai is the seventh plug-in electric vehicle (EV) auto manufacturer to choose AeroVironment as one of its suppliers. The 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid comes with a high-capacity lithium-polymer hybrid battery system that delivers an all-electric range of 27 miles before switching to hybrid mode. The Sonata Plug-in Hybrid also comes with a lifetime hybrid battery warranty. The AeroVironment 240-volt TurboCord and the EVSE-RS charging station can charge the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid in less than three hours versus the approximate nine hours needed using a standard 120-volt charging cable.

China sticking to its guns on EVs for the future

Automakers are obviously free to develop whatever next-gen, zero-emissions tech that they want. However, if a company wants to get on the good side of the Chinese government, that strategy better include some plug-in vehicles. The authorities there are lending major support to plug-ins at the moment, and its forcing the auto industry to play along. According to Bloomberg, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and BMW are all launching dedicated EV brands with their joint venture partners, and as many as 40 electric models could hit the Chinese market this year alone. However, analysts don't think the vehicles are going to sell well. Instead, the launches are essentially a way for companies to play nice with the government and help get the approval to build factories in the country. Take Toyota as an example. The company is pushing the future of hydrogen hard with promotional films for the Mirai and engineers talking down fast-charging EVs. Still, the Japanese automaker is getting ready to launch two EV brands in China with its joint venture partners, according to Bloomberg. China's push for alternative fuels has been happening for a while, but it really kicked into high gear last year. The government has set a goal to improve fleet-wide economy by 40 percent by the end of the decade in order to spend less importing oil and for the population's health. The plan has shown some success so far with hybrid and EV sales growing early in 2015. Related Video: News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Kin Cheung / AP Photo Government/Legal Green BMW Hyundai Toyota Volkswagen Green Culture Technology Electric tax incentives chinese government

China, meet Hyundai's new Mistra sedan

If there was no Hyundai badge, the front end styling of the Korean automaker's new China-only Mistra sedan could have fooled us into thinking it was a refreshed Nissan Altima. Walk around for profile and rear-end views, and we can see more than a bit of Azera in the newest Hyundai, too.
But the Mistra is indeed made for the Chinese market, Carscoops reports, and with a 185.6-inch length, 109.1-inch wheelbase and 71.7-inch width, in size it slots right between the Elantra and Sonata sedans. On the outside, the Mistra maintains Hyundai design cues but loses some of the swoopy styling employed on the Elantra and Sonata for more straight lines and angles.
The Mistra carries its more-restrained-than-Sonata looks to the interior, where occupants will be pleased to find brushed aluminum-look accents on the dashboard, some nice-looking wood trim (if that's your thing) and an easy-to-read instrument cluster with a digital center readout, similar to that in the Genesis sedan.