2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line Night Edition on 2040-cars

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Business booming for Hyundai in 'Bama, new production record set

Although it may be a distinction of mild importance on a global scale, Hyundai announced that last month it set an all-time sales record for the month of April. Digging a little deeper, Hyundai-Blog - an enthusiast site not affiliated with the South Korean automaker - is reporting that another record was set: to go along with 63,315 total sales in April, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembled a record 37,372 Elantra and Sonata sedans.
This doesn't mean that half of Hyundai's April sales came from the Montgomery, AL plant, but it's still a telling sign of just how important this new factory is. The Elantra and Sonata are by far Hyundai's most popular models, accounting for almost 63 percent of all Hyundai sales so far in 2013. Congrats on the achievement, Hyundai.

Genesis teases future large SUV with GV80 concept

After years of rumors that Genesis would add an SUV to its lineup, Hyundai's in-house luxury brand unveiled the GV80 concept at the New York Auto Show Wednesday. Genesis didn't reveal key details of the concept, such as its dimensions and whether it would fit three rows, but prior intel suggests a Genesis SUV would be a little larger than a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a little more expensive. However, the press release does establish three facts: opulence abounds, the high-rider previews the brand's future design language, and a hydrogen fuel cell powers the GV80 – conceptually, at least. The overall shape – dressed in a "bespoke Ice Granite finish" – seems a touch common, although we must note that numerous players already crowd the large luxury SUV field. To give the GV80 a unique identity, Luc Donckerwolke, head of Genesis design, tapped the arsenal of luxury and detailing he amassed during stints at Lamborghini and Bentley. Genesis' trademark crest grille gets filled with diamond mesh, and sits in a contoured channel that defines a spine running the length of the SUV. The quad headlights are nothing more than four swept-back slits. Along the sides, 23-inch wheels frame a deep vent carved into the bodywork, while the mesh pattern in the five-spoke alloys matches the trussed B- and C-pillars. In back, thin, fiber-optic taillights emphasize width and stylized vents in the lower fascia cool the powertrain. The interior puts on the real show. An analog speedometer jazzes up the digital dash cluster, the driver's display flowing into a curved, 22-inch OLED screen set atop the "bridge" instrument panel. The display's two zones serve driver and passenger separately. The driver can use the glass touchpad multi-function controller and knurled metal wheel to toggle through functions, and the passenger taps the metal pinstripes set into the ash wood console and center tunnel. That tunnel runs the length of the cabin, creating four distinct seating areas. Rear-seat passengers can also touch the metal stripes to control seatback screens. Many cows died to create the interior ambiance, with smooth and quilted-diamond-stitched leather everywhere. Suede, polished aluminum, and slate ash wood provide contrasts from the dash to the cargo area. The GV80's "advanced plug-in hydrogen fuel cell" specs remain a mystery, but it might not be an empty tease. Two years ago, Hyundai showed off the Intrado compact CUV concept at the Geneva Motor Show.

U.S. VP Harris pledges to consult S. Korea over EV subsidy concerns

TOKYO/SEOUL — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told South Korea's prime minister on Tuesday that Washington will work to address Seoul's concerns over recently enacted electric vehicle (EV) subsidies that could disadvantage Asian automakers. The $430 billion "Inflation Reduction Act" bill enacted in August includes a host of U.S. President Joe Biden's priorities, including investments to roll back climate change and make Washington a world leader in the EV market. Among the law's provisions are requirements that EVs be assembled in North America to qualify for tax credits. The law also ends subsidies for other EV models and requires that a percentage of critical minerals used in those cars' batteries come from the United States or an American free-trade partner. Harris, visiting Japan, met with South Korea's Han Duck-soo and "underscored that she understood (Korean) concerns regarding the Act's tax incentives for electric vehicles, and they pledged to continue to consult as the law is implemented," the White House said. A senior Biden administration official said extensive conversations have already taken place within the U.S. government over how to address South Korea's concerns. "She listened very carefully and made clear our commitment to work within the U.S. government — the U.S. Trade Representative, the Treasury Department — as we look ... to help address that issue," the official said. Biden has sought to deepen business with South Korea as part of a bid to increase U.S. manufacturing jobs and build a united front against China, who he views as the country's key ideological and economic competitor. Korean officials see the new requirements as a betrayal after South Korean companies agreed to make major investments and build factories in the United States. Heavily industrialized South Korea worries the new subsidies will set back Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Corp in the world's largest consumer market. Cars are South Korea's third-largest export. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Tokyo, and Soo-hyang Choi and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Kim Coghill) Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Government/Legal Green Plants/Manufacturing Genesis Hyundai Kia Electric South Korea