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Hyundai confirms a shift to EVs, unveils fuel cell SUV

SEOUL — Hyundai confirmed on Thursday it was placing electric vehicles at the center of its product strategy — one that includes plans for a premium long-distance electric car as it seeks to catch up to Tesla and other rivals. Like Toyota, Hyundai had initially championed fuel cell technology as the future of eco-friendly vehicles but has found itself shifting to electric as Tesla shot to prominence and battery-powered cars have gained government backing in China. Hyundai's debut of its more modestly priced Ionic hybrid and electric has been well-received. But the pure electric's per-charge driving range is much shorter than the Tesla Model 3 or Chevrolet Bolt. Toyota is now also working on longer-distance, fast-charging electric vehicles. Hyundai first started signaling this strategic shift back in May when it first discussed plans to launch an electric sedan under its high-end Genesis brand in 2021 with a range of 500 km (310 miles) per charge. It will also introduce an electric version of its Kona small crossover with a range of 390 km in the first half of next year. "We're strengthening our eco-friendly car strategy, centering on electric vehicles," Executive Vice President Lee Kwang-guk told a news conference, calling the technology mainstream and realistic. The automaker and affiliate Kia, which together rank fifth in global vehicle sales, also said they were adding three plug-in vehicles to their plans for eco-friendly cars, bringing the total to 31 models by 2020. Underscoring Hyundai's electric shift, those plans include eight battery-powered and two fuel-cell vehicles — a contrast to its 2014 announcement for 22 models, of which only two were slated to be battery-powered. Hyundai also confirmed a Reuters report that it is developing its first scaleable, dedicated electric vehicle platform, which will allow the company to produce multiple models with longer driving ranges. HYDROGEN SUV Hyundai unveiled a near production version of its new fuel cell SUV with a driving range of more than 580 km per charge, compared with the 415 km for its current Tucson fuel cell SUV. The mid-sized SUV will be launched in Korea early next year, followed by U.S. and European markets. A fuel cell electric bus is slated to be unveiled late this year, while a sedan-type fuel cell car is also planned. Even so, analysts noted that gaining traction with fuel cells was going to be a long hard slog partly due to a lack of charging infrastructure.

Hyundai launches crate engine program with 2.0L four and 3.8L V6

With all the commotion about the aftermarket going on at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Hyundai's timing for this announcement is just perfect - the South Korean brand will launch its first crate engine program.
Starting with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and the 3.8-liter V6 from the Genesis Coupe, the program should push Hyundai even further in to the performance realm. Two versions of the 2.0-liter will be available at first - a $4,500 version, that's ready for its owner to bolt on a turbo of their choosing, or a $6,000 version, which includes the turbo and all its plumbing. Hyundai claims the cheaper version was designed with the aftermarket specifically in mind, as it allows tuners to easily fit larger turbos while spending less coin for parts that will just be tossed. The 3.8-liter V6 will cost $9,000.
"As more Genesis Coupes have entered the pre-owned enthusiast market since its 2009 launch, we've witnessed strong interest in leveraging the low cost potential of this rear-drive platform and its powertrains for the tuner market and motorsports. Now, with our new crate engine program, Hyundai is making it more affordable for these same enthusiasts to modify their Genesis Coupe, or perhaps inject some high-value horsepower into other platforms," said Hyundai's North American president and CEO, John Krafcik.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe spotted with rumors of a V8 underhood

Our spy shooters have captured a Hyundai Genesis Coupe mule testing in Sweden. This is merely the current body cut-and-pasted to fit new internals, so don't be disappointed by its looks; we're looking forward to inspiration from the HCD-9 and perhaps grand touring inclinations on the production car whenever it appears. The photographers said they noticed the hood's been modified, perhaps to clear the 5.0-liter V8 from the Genesis sedan. That engine would be part of the plan to push further upscale said to be planned for the Genesis Coupe, along with the fender arch cutouts on this mule that push the wheels to the corners for a longer wheelbase that will make more room for passengers. Rumor has been that the next car will do a much better job of swallowing four adults. The company's HTRAC all-wheel drive is expected to be an option, Hyundai having said five years ago that the feature is being engineered into the Genesis family platform. A reveal probably won't come until sometime in 2016.