Majority of Hyundai Cars Will be Internal-Combustion Through 2025
Automaker outlines powertrain strategy into the next decade
If you read enough headlines, you may get the impression that the internal combustion engine is almost dead. But the more likely scenario is that it will remain an important part of the industry for many years to come. Hyundai Motor Group announced that by 2022, it will make 10 gas engines, six diesel engines, and six transmissions using its new efficiency-minded technology. By 2025, Hyundai expects to shift pace with more alternative powertrains.
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Hyundai's new Smart Stream technology centers on reducing the size and weight of engine components to increase efficiency. The automaker hopes to maximize thermal efficiency by up to 50 percent with the use of Smart Stream engines. One of Hyundai's new engines is the G 1.6 turbo with the first commercial application of Continuously Variable Valve Duration technology, which tells the cylinder valve to open and close at just the right time to respond to different driving demands. A new eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission promises a highly efficient hydraulic system for better performance and fuel economy.
At its International Powertrain Conference in Korea, Hyundai said that the internal combustion engine will "maintain a strong presence in the market until 2025." At that time, plug-ins and electric vehicles will gain acceptance, and Hyundai will produce more of these vehicles, including fuel cells. Despite the shift, Hyundai says it will continue to produce internal combustion engines alongside the alternative powertrains.
Hyundai is prepping a next-generation fuel cell SUV that will replace the aging Tucson Fuel Cell. It's expected to drop early next year in Korea, followed later by North America. As expected, the automaker plans to increase battery capacity and range on future electric models. Right now, the Ioniq Electric can drive 124 miles on a single charge.
Volvo announced earlier this year that it will stop introducing gas-only cars by 2019. But that doesn't mean it's giving up on the internal combustion engine altogether, as some of its future vehicles will be hybrids and mild hybrids. Jaguar and Aston Martin will offer an electrified powertrain on every model line in the near future. Meanwhile, France and Britain have gone so far as to ban the sale of gas and diesel cars by 2040.
Source: Hyundai
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