Hyundai to go solo on hybrid cars & catch up with Toyota in 2-3 years

[Ming]

Hyundai to go solo on hybrid cars
By Kim So-hyun
www.koreaherald.co.kr
Sunday, September 18



Despite the recent announcement of the global auto giants to jointly develop hybrid drive systems, Hyundai Motor Co. said yesterday that it will continue on its own, aiming to reach an annual production of 300,000 hybrid cars by 2010.

"We have received partnership proposals from foreign carmakers in the past, but as of now, we have no plans to work together," Hyundai's research & development executive Kim Sang-kwon said yesterday.

Planning to sell 350 Verna hybrids to the government for test operation within this year, the nation's No.1 automaker set the deadline for mass production by end of next year.

Hyundai aims to catch up with global hybrid leaders such as Toyota Motor Corp. in two to three years. Hyundai is already ahead of the Japanese carmaker in terms of fuel-cell technology, according to Kim Sang-kwon.

As Toyota's Prius and Honda Motor Co.'s Accord are currently dominating the growing hybrid market, BMW Group, General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler AG signed a memorandum of understanding last week to pool their expertise for the accelerated and efficient development of hybrid drive systems.

Audi AG, Volkswagen AG and Porsche AG also agreed on Monday to jointly develop a new fuel-efficient hybrid engine for their cars.

"Hybrids were considered merely as a transitional form of automobiles in the past, however, the market is growing rapidly with the help of rising fuel prices," said Kim.

"So we plan to shift our R&D focus from fuel-cells to hybrids."

Separately, Hyundai Motor unveiled the new Verna compact yesterday, on which hybrid engines will soon be placed.

Hyundai expects domestic sales of the diesel-powered Verna cars to match that of gasoline models. The company aims to sell up to 30,000 Verna units at home per year, about a tenth of its target volume worldwide.

The new cars are scheduled to be shipped abroad beginning next month to hit U.S. showrooms in February.

"We hope to win back the No. 1 spot in the U.S. entry compact car market by selling up to 70,000 units a year," said Hyundai's executive of overseas sales Park Heung-kook.

The older Verna was the bestselling entry compact in the world's biggest auto market until it gave way to GM Daewoo's Chevrolet Aveo.

Source: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/da...0509150041.asp

[Aerodynamix]

Incredible. Hyundai is definately a force to be reckoned with. Imagine them selling hybrids in NA within 6 months that will likely have a lower MSRP than the most affordable hybrid on the market today. As long as the technology is solid, I predict Hyundai will meet their goal either on time (~30 months) or sooner.

[GMFreak8]

GM comeon, hurry up and do hybrids right. Not the Belt Alternator Starter, or some mild hybrid that shuts the engine down but does nothing else essentially. I don't think hybrids are worth the extra cost, but the PR from them alone is enough to make them worth producing. Hurry up, make that two mode hybrid system and offer them in all your models as an option.

Oh, and BTW MING can we have these pictures in every article instead of Mr. toothless?

[Mr. Burns]

hybrids are the new trend and people are flocking or will flock to buy them. GM is waaaay too slow to get in the game, the largest auto manufacturer in the world and even hyundai is going ahead of it. we should already have a hybrid malibu, cobalt, and equinox. the good press is good too. either way i think GM should atleast make an announcement like this one, just for the good press!

[plane]

Isn't anybody going to mention who's dressed in leather and blocking the view of a very interesting vehicle?

[asim]

Hyundai now should be considered as a major player, thats if they pull this off right.

[mjd1001]

The more hybrids the better. We know there are different ways of producing them....with GM/DCX going to make one built into the transmission, with the "mild hybrid" GM has, or the ones we are most famaliar with regarding Toyota and Honda.

The more companies that develop them...the better (and hopefully cheaper) they will become for consumers.

[CRBoyd91]

Hyundai just keeps getting better and better. In hope they surpaessed Toyota.

[pkd87]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

The more hybrids the better. We know there are different ways of producing them....with GM/DCX going to make one built into the transmission, with the "mild hybrid" GM has, or the ones we are most famaliar with regarding Toyota and Honda.

The more companies that develop them...the better (and hopefully cheaper) they will become for consumers.

agreed

[GM_Fanatic]

Why can't the american car shows be more like that? Maybe thats our problem.

[johnnyangelb]

Originally Posted by Aerodynamix

Incredible. Hyundai is definately a force to be reckoned with. Imagine them selling hybrids in NA within 6 months that will likely have a lower MSRP than the most affordable hybrid on the market today. As long as the technology is solid, I predict Hyundai will meet their goal either on time (~30 months) or sooner.

I concur sir, I concur.

[sigma]

Things GM needs to do...
1) Role out the green line for Saturn, and I mean yesterday. When the Aura lauches they should have a hybrid ready for it.
2) Have a system ready to role for the 3500V6's and the 2.2 Ecotech for next model year. It would probably require a hell of a crash program...but if it can be done, it should be done.
3) Mild Hybrid system for the 3900 Impala's.
4) Have a Diesel Hybrid ready for the launch of the GMC900's.
5) Put that BWM/DCX Hybrid partnership into warpspeed.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by Ming

.....

Oh, and good for Hyundai. I'm proud of them. Hyundai has so many resources through it's sister companies that it will do quite well.

[steve333]

Hyundai is funded by the South Korean Govmnt-they can't fail. I save my praise for companies that do it on their own.
South Korea has also kept their market closed to outsiders, meaning the US. I'm suprised they even let GM buy Daewoo, or most of it anyway.
Hyundai can kiss my arse.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by plane

Isn't anybody going to mention who's dressed in leather and blocking the view of a very interesting vehicle?

I figured they grabbed whatever car they could find to prop her up!