Hyundai Motor America announced today the launch of Blue Drive an environmental initiative which will bring to market a family of eco–friendly Blue Drive products and establish Hyundai as an environmental leader. With Blue Drive products and technologies, Hyundai will be able to achieve a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2015, five years ahead of government requirements. During a news conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the company revealed plans for its first U.S.–market gas–electric full hybrid (to be offered in the next–generation Sonata), introduced a sleek crossover concept powered by a turbocharged gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine, and announced future high–mileage editions of the Accent and Elantra, underscoring its global commitment to sustainable transportation.

Blue Drive At–a–Glance

– Hyundai plans to lead all automotive brands in the U.S. in fuel economy by achieving a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon by 2015, five years ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s    (NHTSA) deadline, powered by the Hyundai Blue Drive global product strategy.

– Hyundai will begin building a gas–electric full hybrid edition of the next–generation Sonata for the North American market in 2010. This Sonata will use a parallel hybrid drive system and lithium polymer battery technology – leapfrogging competitive in–market nickel–metal hydride and planned lithium–ion applications.

– Near–term, high mileage "Blue" editions of Accent and Elantra will join the Hyundai Blue Drive family in 2009.

– An all–new crossover, shown in concept form with a 2.0–liter Theta turbocharged GDI four–cylinder

   engine, is green lighted for the U.S. market. The engine will appear in various Hyundai models in the future.

– Long–term, the Hyundai Blue Drive family will be expanded to include Plug–in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV).

"Hyundai aims to be the most fuel–efficient automaker on the planet," said John Krafcik, vice president, Product Development and Strategic Planning, Hyundai Motor America. "We’re aligning our global R&D resources in Michigan, California, Nam Yang, and Frankfurt to develop the Blue Drive technologies we need to achieve our goal – a 35 mpg U.S. fleet average by 2015."

HYUNDAI’S HYBRID BLUE DRIVE ARCHITECTURE

An all–new, homegrown hybrid architecture is at the heart of the Hyundai Blue Drive strategy. Hyundai’s proprietary parallel hybrid drive system mates the already fuel efficient 2.4–liter Theta II engine to a 6–speed automatic transmission and a 30kW (205 N–m) electric motor for maximum fuel economy. Hybrid Blue Drive has an all–electric mode and a parallel drive mode. This means the wheels are turned by power coming directly from the gasoline engine, or the electric motor, or both together, as conditions demand. This parallel hybrid drive architecture will serve as the foundation for future hybrid drive vehicles to be developed by Hyundai, starting with the next–generation Sonata in the United States.

Hybrid Blue Drive is made up of nine major components:

1. An efficient 30kW electric motor delivering 205 N–m of torque

2. A regenerative braking system

3. An integrated starter generator that enables the engine to turn off at stops and restart automatically under acceleration

4. A breakthrough lithium polymer battery package, with 5.3 Ah of capacity at 270 volts

5. Optimized Theta II 2.4–liter engine

6. 6–speed automatic transmission with an improved efficiency electric oil pump

7. Weight–efficient architecture coupled with a low drag coefficient

8. Electric air conditioning compressor

9. Hybrid power control unit

LITHIUM POLYMER BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

Hyundai’s hybrid system stores its electrical charge in a 270V lithium polymer rechargeable battery (5.3Ah/270V) that surpasses existing nickel–metal hydride and pending lithium–ion applications. Lithium polymer batteries are more durable and space–efficient than other hybrid batteries.

Lithium Polymer Batteries vs. Nickel–Metal Hydride Batteries

Compared with nickel–metal hydride batteries, lithium polymer batteries deliver the same power with 30 percent less weight, 50 percent less volume and 10 percent greater efficiency over the nickel–metal hydride batteries found in all of today’s hybrids. Lithium polymer batteries offer more than twice the energy density of nickel–metal hydride batteries, and 175 percent greater volumetric energy density, meaning Hyundai engineers can devote less space and weight to the battery pack. Lithium polymer batteries also hold their charge 20 times longer. Lithium polymer batteries also are more resistant to changes in temperature, which improves cycle life. And lithium polymer’s self–discharge rate is less than a third of a nickel–metal hydride battery.

Lithium Polymer Batteries vs. Lithium–ion Batteries

Lithium–polymer has significant advantages over lithium–ion batteries, including higher energy density and lower manufacturing costs. Lithium polymer is more resistant to physical damage and can handle more charge–discharge cycles before storage capacity begins to degrade. Lithium polymer technology also offers significant advantages in thermal robustness and safety compared with typical lithium–ion batteries.

OTHER ASPECTS OF HYUNDAI BLUE DRIVE – WEIGHT EFFICIENCY, TURBO GDI, OPTIMIZED BLUE MODELS, AND FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES

HED–5 i–Mode Concept Vehicle

At the Geneva International Motor Show, Hyundai introduced the revolutionary HED–5 "i–Mode" concept car. Today, Hyundai Motor America is announcing that a production version of this compact, spacious, weight–efficient four–cylinder crossover has been green lighted for the U.S., with timing to be announced at a later date.

Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection Technology

The HED–5 concept was shown with an advanced 2.0–liter Theta turbocharged gasoline direct injection (GDI) four–cylinder engine capable of developing as much as 286 horsepower, and delivering more than 30 highway miles per gallon. This engine will appear in various Hyundai models in the future.

Blue Editions

Next year, Hyundai will introduce high mileage "Blue" editions of its Accent and Elantra models. These models will deliver outstanding fuel economy without adding thousands of dollars to the price. In fact, "Blue" models will be priced lower than other models, assuring they will be both efficient and economical.

Blue Drive Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Hyundai is at the forefront of advanced technology research. In September 2005, Hyundai Motor Company celebrated the grand opening of its Eco–Technology Research Institute in Mabuk, Korea, which houses all R&D on environmentally friendly technologies, concentrating Hyundai’s efforts to develop alternative powertrains in one state–of–the–art facility.

The ultimate expression of Hyundai Blue Drive TM is the hydrogen–powered Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle, the most promising technology for future transportation. Hyundai is participating in fuel cell verification programs around the world. In the United States, Hyundai has been a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) since 2000. The CaFCP is a collaboration of 33 member organizations, including auto manufacturers, energy providers, government agencies and fuel cell technology companies, that work together to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

In 2004, Hyundai began a partnership with Chevron Corp. and UTC Power to initiate a 32–vehicle fleet testing program. This five–year cost–sharing program is sponsored by the United States Department of Energy.

Hyundai recently celebrated the successful completion of a 13–day, cross–country road trip that served as the first significant U.S. test for the company’s proprietary fuel cell technology. The Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) on display in the Hyundai booth completed a 4,300 mile journey as part of the Hydrogen Road Tour 2008. Nine auto manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Fuel Cell Partnership, National Hydrogen Association and U.S. Department of Transportation sponsored and participated in the event.

Hyundai is making good progress toward meeting its goal of putting a Hyundai Blue Drive Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle in series production as early as 2012.

Courtesy: Hyundai Motor America

Popular Hyundai Cars available in India:
Hyundai Santro Xing (Hatchback)
Hyundai i10 (Hatchback)
Hyundai Getz Prime (Hatchback)
Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Verna (Sedan)
Hyundai Elantra (Sedan)
The Hyundai Sonata Embera (Sedan)

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Posted by Jigar Gondalia on 21 November, 2008 12:44:01 PM IST #