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Hyundai bets big on crossovers sporting diesel, electric, hydrogen powertrains by 2020

Hyundai announced a very aggressive crossover strategy for the next couple of years, with a total of eight vehicles launched between now and 2020. One of those is the already revealed sub-compact Hyundai Kona. The other seven crossovers range in size and fuel types, and Miles Johnson at Hyundai confirmed to us that all of them will be coming to the U.S. The first to launch is the aforementioned Kona, coming in early 2018. Also coming early that year is an unnamed hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. This hydrogen crossover will likely be sized and styled similarly to the FE Fuel Cell Concept shown at this year's Geneva show. A previous report about the production version stated that it would have a range of about 360 miles. Later that year will be two unnamed crossovers without any indication of size. They will also be joined by an electric crossover. In 2019, Hyundai has three crossovers planned for release. Early in the year will be a diesel-powered crossover. Hyundai gives no indication of what segment it would compete in, but so far we've only seen diesels in compact crossovers such as the Chevy Equinox diesel and upcoming Mazda CX-5 diesel. Mid-year will welcome a midsize crossover, and the year will be capped off with an A-segment crossover. Johnson also confirmed that this A-segment crossover will be smaller than the Kona. It could be an outright replacement for the Hyundai Accent hatchback, which did not return to the U.S. with the new sedan. Though we don't have much information regarding the unnamed and unspecified crossovers in the plan, Johnson did confirm that some of the crossovers in this rollout will include redesigned versions of existing offerings. This may include a new Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport, or whatever the Santa Fe Sport will become. The company has previously stated that the Santa Fe Sport will be resized and probably renamed, and the regular Santa Fe would be larger the next time around. These changes would also make room for another small to midsize crossover. Related Video: Image Credit: Hyundai Green Hyundai Crossover SUV Diesel Vehicles Economy Cars Electric Future Vehicles Hydrogen Cars hyundai kona

Watch these Super Bowl car commercials [UPDATE]

On Sunday, February 3, the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Some will watch because of the storyline of the old-school dynasty facing off against the new-school wunderkinds, but a large chunk of people will solely be watching for the commercials. Lucky for those who slot into the latter category, many of the manufacturers release their super bowl ads ahead of time, or have simply opted to release the commercials only online. Scroll down to see what car companies have already shown their cards. Audi Audi goes the comedic route in its clip for the Big Game. It starts with a grandpa showing his grandson a gorgeous Audi e-tron GT tucked away in a garage before he's shaken awake. Turns out he was just choking on a cashew in his cubicle at his boring job. Dodge Dodge does what it knows: create enough smoke to punch more holes in the ozone layer. Set to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia (the Super Bowl is in Atlanta, get it!?), a Challenger SRT Hellcat widebody, Charger SRT Hellcat, and Durango SRT are seen ripping through a city, leaving a trail of rubber crumbs in their wakes. Genesis Genesis has not yet released a commercial prior to the Super Bowl, but it is the official luxury vehicle of the NFL. Because of this, Genesis is hosting a fan experience for 10 days before the game. It will showcase the brand's cars, offer games, and have photos opportunities and autograph days. Hyundai Jason Bateman alert! Hyundai is one of the few companies to hook a major celebrity for its advertisement, and the casting is perfect. Bateman plays a doorman who takes people to various terrible events in life, including root canals, the middle seat, and shopping for a car. The ad centers around Hyundai's Shopper Assurance, which is Hyundai's new method for car shopping. Jeep An old 1963 Jeep Gladiator finds its strength in the crusher and transforms into a a new 2020 Gladiator, with a firm declaration that the nameplate is officially back. Kia Through Kia's commercial, a young boy wonders out loud what it'd be like if the millions spent on Super Bowl commercials were used to help others.

Hyundai returns to spark-compression engines with $5 million grant

Ed note: This version adds comment from a Hyundai spokeswoman. Hyundai said Monday it has won a grant worth $4.95 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support research and development for an advanced, mixed-mode gasoline spark-compression engine, meaning the Korean automaker appears to be back at it in its quest to develop a fuel-efficient, low-emissions gasoline compression engine that can catch the likes of Mazda's Skyactiv-X. Hyundai says the three-year grant will leverage existing work with advanced valve train and previous DOE-funded technologies. Hyundai previously was working on its own HCCI — short for homogeneous charge compression ignition — project, developing a Gasoline Direct-Injection Compression engine with help from Delphi that used supercharging and turbocharging, a high compression ratio and fully variable valve train. But it has never come to fruition, reportedly due in large part to added costs. Hyundai spokeswoman Michele Tinson said the grant will support a new project for the automaker. "It's a departure from the past efforts forging a new direction forward for Hyundai where the fuel and engine combustion modes can be optimized to meet new targets," she said. Tinson said the GDCI project is completing its third round of DOE funding. Hyundai in December said it plans to release 38 environmentally friendly vehicles along with its affiliate Kia, and using a variety of technologies, by 2025. Hyundai alone will account for 18 of them. The aim is to use the spark-compression engines for conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, plug-in hybrids and mild hybrids. "The opportunity to explore mixed-mode engine technology through the DOE's grant signifies Hyundai's commitment to advanced research technology and compression engines," John Juriga, director of powertrain technologies at Hyundai America's Technical Center near Ann Arbor, Mich., said in a statement. "The co-operative research project along with Michigan Technological University and Phillips 66 signifies the importance in developing fuel and engine innovations that work together for optimal vehicle performance and leading fuel economy ratings." Mazda's Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine uses Spark Controlled Compression Ignition to achieve diesel-like gains in fuel economy — about 20 to 30 percent higher than its current gasoline engines — and lower emissions from regular gasoline. It's said to debut in late 2019. Related Video: