Hyundai Confirms Prius Fighter for Production, Veloster to be Priced Below CR-Z
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 23,226
Likes: 9
From: Upstate NY
Vehicle: 2010 Genesis 2.0T
Hyundai Confirms Prius Fighter for Production, Veloster to be Priced Below CR-Z
NEW YORK — Hyundai will continue its crusade to roll out more 40-mpg cars in the short term, confirming on Wednesday at the 2011 New York Auto Show that it plans to introduce two more 40-mpg cars in the "next couple years." A Hyundai executive told Inside Line that one of those vehicles will be its Toyota Prius fighter, which was previewed two years ago in the Hyundai Blue-Will Concept that was revealed at the 2009 Seoul Auto Show.
The Blue-Will Concept was equipped with a gasoline direct-injection 1.6-liter engine mated to a continuously variable transmission and a 100kW electric motor. The concept used a lithium-ion polymer battery pack, a hallmark of Hyundai/Kia alt-fuel vehicles. Hyundai would not confirm whether the Prius fighter would be called Blue-Will or provide any other details.
It would not provide any details on the other 40-mpg car it has in the hopper, but a Hyundai executive who did not want to be identified said the second car would continue the trend of the Korean automaker "to be very aggressive with internal-combustion engines."
"The strategy of further developing the internal-combustion engine, with significant increases in fuel economy, is where we see the market going," the executive said.
"In addition to the new Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Veloster and Accent, Hyundai will introduce one more 40-mpg highway car and another achieving 40+ mpg in the next couple years," said Hyundai Motor America in a statement. "These additional models will further the company's 40-mpg highway sales volume growth as it steams toward its stated goal of an EPA fleet average of at least 50 mpg by 2025."
Ford is also on the same path, rolling out several 40-mpg cars.
Hyundai on Wednesday also said in a statement that the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, which replaces the Tiburon, will be priced below the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The 2011 CR-Z hybrid starts at $20,095, including a $750 shipping charge. When the Veloster debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai told Inside Line it would be priced at around $17,500 when it arrives in July.
The Blue-Will Concept was equipped with a gasoline direct-injection 1.6-liter engine mated to a continuously variable transmission and a 100kW electric motor. The concept used a lithium-ion polymer battery pack, a hallmark of Hyundai/Kia alt-fuel vehicles. Hyundai would not confirm whether the Prius fighter would be called Blue-Will or provide any other details.
It would not provide any details on the other 40-mpg car it has in the hopper, but a Hyundai executive who did not want to be identified said the second car would continue the trend of the Korean automaker "to be very aggressive with internal-combustion engines."
"The strategy of further developing the internal-combustion engine, with significant increases in fuel economy, is where we see the market going," the executive said.
"In addition to the new Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Veloster and Accent, Hyundai will introduce one more 40-mpg highway car and another achieving 40+ mpg in the next couple years," said Hyundai Motor America in a statement. "These additional models will further the company's 40-mpg highway sales volume growth as it steams toward its stated goal of an EPA fleet average of at least 50 mpg by 2025."
Ford is also on the same path, rolling out several 40-mpg cars.
Hyundai on Wednesday also said in a statement that the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, which replaces the Tiburon, will be priced below the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The 2011 CR-Z hybrid starts at $20,095, including a $750 shipping charge. When the Veloster debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai told Inside Line it would be priced at around $17,500 when it arrives in July.
