The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid now comes with a warranty coverage, a Lifetime Battery Replacement Guarantee to expand the benefits of Hyundai Assurance, the industry’s most comprehensive warranty program. The coverage applies to all 2012 model year Sonata Hybrid models over the life expectancy of the vehicle and thousands of miles beyond the average duration of new-car ownership. The first-of-its-kind protection ensures that if the Sonata Hybrid lithium polymer battery technology fails, Hyundai will replace the battery and cover recycling costs for the old power plant free of charge to the owner.
Hyundai tested the Sonata Hybrid and its Blue Drive hybrid drivetrain for more than 300,000 miles with minimal degradation of its output or duration of operation, providing Sonata Hybrid owners with confidence that their investment will continue to pay dividends well into the future.
The heart of Hyundai’s breakthrough Hybrid Blue Drive technology is its remarkable lithium polymer batter pack. Hyundai is the first automaker in the world to incorporate this remarkably efficient battery technology into production vehicles. Automotive duty cycles, with temperature ranges from -40 to 120+ degrees Fahrenheit, and 10-year-and-beyond longevity requirements render the lithium ion batteries used in consumer devices unsuitable. Lithium polymer is the next generation of lithium ion technology and is ideally suited to automotive applications thanks to a robust and reliable chemistry.The lithium polymers cells, developed with partner LG Chem, use a manganese spinel chemistry that provides an excellent balance between power delivery, energy density and thermal stability.
Thermal stability is critical to ensuring durability eliminating the need to replace the battery pack during the normal lifespan of the vehicle. The electrodes in older lithium ion chemistries expand and contract with the heating and cooling that occurs during charging and discharging. This thermal expansion causes cracks in the electrodes which ultimately reduces the cell’s ability to hold a charge. Manganese spinal lithium polymer cells have much lower expansion rates and are thus able to go through tens of thousands of charge cycles even without having to use a heavier, liquid cooling system.
