Hyundai beats Toyota and Honda to be first with lithium hybrid

Hyundai beats Toyota and Honda to be first with lithium hybrid
On the back of news that Hyundai is now the world’s fifth biggest carmaker in terms of vehicle sales (when sales of its Kia subsidiary are included) comes the announcement that the South Korean carmaker will launch the world’s first hybrid vehicle powered by advanced lithium-polymer batteries and capable of running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Hyundai has confirmed the car will go on sale in July of next year, initially in South Korea but eventually global markets as well.

The new hybrid will be based on the Elantra sedan (pictured), also known as the Avante in some markets.
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lenkunlenkun - 7/8/2008 11:32:14 AM
-2 Boost
It doesn't matter what type of battery is in there if the MPG is not as good as a Prius.


Agent63Agent63 - 7/8/2008 1:03:13 PM
+2 Boost
Doesn't mean Hyundai isn't capable of doing so.


M35MTM35MT - 7/8/2008 12:38:40 PM
+4 Boost
Speaking of hybrid news, I heard on Bloomberg radio yesterday that the new Prius is suppose to have solar panels on the roof for running the A/C. Finally! Car roofs bake in the hot sun all day might as well use that energy to cool the car. They must've figured out how to do this cost-effectively because as far as I know solar panels dont come cheap...?


cericceric - 7/8/2008 12:56:43 PM
+3 Boost
It will be used for cooling vehicles when they are parked.
The energy a solar penal recover from a couple M^2 is very small. Enough to drive a small fan, but not an A/C compressor.


kpaxxkpaxx - 7/8/2008 2:36:49 PM
+1 Boost
my car already does this off the regular battery!


golfer38golfer38 - 7/8/2008 3:54:36 PM
-3 Boost
The S8 has had this as an option for a couple of years I believe, however I don't know the exact details.


BoredBored - 7/8/2008 1:35:54 PM
-1 Boost
Can't wait to see the troll MichaelTaylor have a hissy fit over this.


holmstarholmstar - 7/8/2008 2:49:45 PM
+2 Boost
nothing is 100% reliable. Toyota is not perfect. Get over it.


BoredBored - 7/8/2008 10:39:27 PM
0 Boost
@ MichaelTaylor,

You need to face facts:
Hyundai will beat Toyota to the market.

BMW will beat Toyota to the market.

And not only will Mercedes Benz beat Toyota to the market, they are coming with a double-barrel shotgun: Lithium-Ion hybrid mated to a Blue-tec diesel with the Mercedes-Benz S4000 BlueTec Hybrid.

(Notice how over the past 2 months gas has fluctuated higher in price while diesel has decreased and stabilized?)

I do like how Toyota has moved its focus to a plug-in hybrid (and the solar panels for the next Prius)by 2010 or 2011. I just don't like the fact that their are no plans to make that plug-in with a lithium-ion battery.

BTW, you are still a troll.



truckmentruckmen - 7/8/2008 7:25:07 PM
-1 Boost
So far nobody mass produces a hybrid worthy to brag about! Maybe Hyundai will be the most efficient? I am know that they could make a hybrid way more efficient for the public but can't because they aren't allowed to produce anything too efficient, imagine if we suddenly got vehicles with double the fuel efficiency of what ever we have now our governments would go broke with selling only half of the gas they are used to.


LexusLexus - 7/9/2008 12:14:48 AM
+1 Boost
Not only does it beat Toyota, Honda, the other automakers as well. Like BMW, MB, Audi, Porche, Lambo, etc...

Lexus

That what happen you're an Asian Company and are the number #1 people hate you.


ryborybo - 7/9/2008 10:36:52 AM
+1 Boost
In many parts of the world liquefied petroleum gas, whcih this car runs on costs about half as much as petrol and diesel.


chensleychensley - 7/9/2008 11:39:14 AM
+1 Boost
The Toyota Vitz Stop-Start on sale in Japan since 2005 uses a lithium-ion battery.
Not a hybrid as such, but the start of our experience with Li-ion in mass production.

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