This new Hyundai hybrid will be an extended range hybrid
Hyundai said it aimed to address the “EV deceleration” by expanding the number of hybrid and new extended-range EV (E-REV) offerings and “gradually increasing EV models by 2030 when a recovery in EV demand is expected”.
It plans to release an E-REV capable of travelling 800 plus kilometers on a single charge in North America and China before taking it to right hand drive markets like Malaysia.
Meanwhile, this change in product planning from ‘pure’ electric to hybrid drivetrains come as more and more consumers have expressed concerns over “range anxiety” which worries them as they might be stranded and unable to recharge their electric vehicle (EV) before reaching their destination.
The initial offerings of the EREVs include D-class SUVs under the Hyundai and Genesis brands. Santa Fe and GV70 are the prime candidates. An EREV comes with a battery, motor, and engine, and is quite similar to a hybrid vehicle.
When the EREV’s battery runs low, its internal combustion engine kicks in which helps generate electricity to recharge the battery. In its setup, it uses a new powertrain and power electronics (PT/PE) system that helps enable a four-wheel drive with the application of two motors.
Despite the announcement of an expansion in its hybrid vehicle strategy, Hyundai kept its EV sales target unchanged at 2 million unit’s sales a year by 2030.
Additionally, Ford, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have all pared back their targets in relation to EV sales. The latest brand to follow this trend is Volvo with their 2025 model XC90 PHEV, surprised? We are not.
The electric vehicle leader, Tesla, is running short of the sales rate required to match the 1.8m cars it sold last year. Tesla has also gambled on price cuts to stimulate sales, announcing global reductions of as much as 20 percent last year.
