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Hyundai hearts House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus in Tucson promotion

Hyundai may be based in South Korea, but the automaker is touting hydrogen fuel-cell technology as an all-American benefit and is getting some help from the US government to do so. The company said this week that it's collaborating with the US Department of Energy and the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus at promoting fuel-cell technology. The timing is good because Hyundai just started selling the first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle sold/leased in the US (unless you count the Honda FCX Clarity, which we know Honda does). The goal for Hyundai and its public partners is to boost awareness of the benefits of fuel-cell technology (the full tank range is similar to a gas-powered vehicle without the tailpipe emissions). With enough awareness and resulting demand, the high cost of both building such vehicles and installing the refueling infrastructure needed to refuel them will theoretically get driven down. Or at least that's what Hyundai and future fuel-cell vehicle makers like Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and General Motors are shooting for. Hyundai started leasing its Tucson crossover fuel-cell vehicle in Southern California earlier this year. The company is charging $499 a month, in addition to a $2,999 down payment for the vehicle, and is allowing drivers to fuel up for no extra charge. Take a look at Hyundai's press release below, and then check out our Quick Spin impressions. Hyundai Collaborates With Congressional Hydrogen And Fuel Cell Caucus To Highlight Introduction Of Mass-Produced Fuel Cell Vehicles In The Retail Market Members of Congress, Department of Energy Tout Importance of Fuel Cell Technology WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Hyundai collaborated with the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus and the Department of Energy to highlight the introduction of the first mass-produced fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. retail market. In a briefing organized by the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, Hyundai executives, Members of Congress, and an official from the Department of Energy discussed the innovative and clean technology that powers hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the need for additional hydrogen infrastructure in the United States. "Hyundai is thrilled to partner with leaders in Congress and the Department of Energy to promote the continued development and commercialization of these clean energy technologies," said Kathleen Hennessey, Vice President, Government Affairs for Hyundai Motor Company.

Hyundai to fight $248M judgment over fatal Montana crash

A Montana jury has levied a $248 million ruling against Hyundai in the case of a crash that killed two occupants in July 2011. The automaker plans to appeal the ruling.
Cousins Trevor and Tanner Olson were driving a 2005 Hyundai Tiburon when they hit another vehicle head-on. According to lawyers representing their family, the steering knuckle on the car cracked and this allegedly caused it to lose control. Hyundai claimed that fireworks had been let off inside the vehicle, which caused the driver to swerve. The company alleges that evidence that could have proved its innocence was barred from the case.
The jury found in favor of the family and awarded them about $8 million in damages after a two-week trial. It claimed that Hyundai had shown "actual malice," according to Reuters. The jurors also slammed Hyundai with a further $240 million in punitive damages.

Porsche tops J.D. Power quality index as Korean brands soar

While complaints about infotainment systems remain a thorn in the side of automakers for J.D. Power's annual Initial Quality Study, there's a lot to celebrate this year. The average number of problems reported per 100 vehicles fell to 112 in 2015 – a three-percent improvement compared to 116 in 2014. The results of this year's survey are based on the responses of over 84,000 people about problems within the first 90 days of buying or leasing a 2015 model-year vehicle. For the third consecutive year, Porsche tops the rankings with an average of 80 problems per 100 vehicles. Although, that's slightly more than the 74 the German sportscar maker scored in 2014. "While the Japanese automakers continue to make improvements, we're seeing other brands, most notably Korean makes, really accelerating the rate of improvement," Renee Stephens, vice president of US automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in the study's release. In fact, Kia ranks as one of the biggest movers in this year's list. The Korean brand jumped to second place from seventh last year. The company had an average of 86 problems per 100 vehicles, a 20-point improvement. Third place went to Jaguar with an average of 93 problems reported, versus last year's second-place finish with 87 of them. Fourth place was Hyundai, and fifth-place Infiniti also earned a gold star for improvement with 97 issues per 100 vehicles – 31-points better than last year. Fiat still anchored the bottom of the list. However, its 161 problems this year is a lot better than the 206 in 2014. Ranked by nationality, Korean brands (Hyundai and Kia) are now leading the industry in initial quality with an average of 90 problems reported per 100 vehicles. According to J.D. Power, this is the first time Europe's figure beat Japan with 113 and 114 issues, respectively. The American brands also averaged 114. Whereas General Motors dominated last year, the segment awards are spread out in 2015. GM, Hyundai, Nissan, and Volkswagen Group are all tied with four models each earning prizes. For more information, you can also see all of the graphs, here. J.D.