Hyundai Joins The Fray, Introding a Hybrid Concept and All-Electric Vehicle at the Frankfurt Auto Show

As is the norm these days, announcements from Auto Manufacturers heralding alternate energy vehicles abound in the press. This time, it is the Hyundai Motor Company who will utilize the Frankfurt Auto Show as the platform for their car's debut.

One of the cars will be a hybrid concept that is miserly and emits minimal amounts of CO2 and the other is an all-electric vehicle, which interests us most. The i10 Electric model is similar to the Nissan Leaf, in that it will offer about 100 miles of range and a top speed of 81 mph. This seems to be the sweet spot for electric vehicles utilizing the current technology and Li ion batteries. Of course, the hope is that one day soon we will have batteries and capacitors that yield 300 miles range.

From Green Car Congress:

The ix-Metro is a hybrid-electric CUV for the European sub-B segment which promises CO2 emissions of 80g/km. Click to enlarge.

Hyundai will stage the world debut of the ix-Metro—a new hybrid-electric CUV concept for the European sub-B segment which promises CO₂ emissions of 80 g/km—at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. The other world debut Hyundai will be making at Frankfurt is the i10 Electric, an electric urban commuter vehicle which will see limited series production beginning in 2010 with the Korean market.

The fifth in a series of concept cars to be created by the Global Design Team in Namyang Korea, the ix-Metro is powered by an inline three-cylinder, 1.0-liter gasoline engine. Direct injection, dual CVVT, turbocharging are all combined with a six-speed dual clutch transmission.

The i10 Electric will debut in Frankfurt. Click to enlarge.

Powered by a 49kW motor and a 16 kWh battery, the i10 Electric promises a driving range of 160 km (99 miles) and top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph). It features x-by-wire systems for steering, air conditioning, water pump and brake vacuum pump.

The i10 Electric will be sold to government ministries, state corporations and utilities in the first stage. The retail sales date is not decided.

Europeans will also get their first chance to see two other Blue Drive vehicles, which made their world debut earlier this year at the Seoul Motor Show. (Earlier post.) The Frankfurt Blue Drive Zone will include the Elantra LPI Hybrid which emits just 94 g/km of CO₂ (European combined mode) and the Blue Will Plug-In Hybrid Electric concept vehicle. The Elantra LPI HEV is the world’s first hybrid electric vehicle to be powered by liquid petroleum gas (or autogas) and the first production car to be powered by advanced lithium-ion polymer batteries (LiPoly).

Hyundai is also using the occasion of The Frankfurt show for the European unveiling of its ix35, the European version of the all-new Tucson which made its debut in the Korean market earlier this month. It’s fitted with the all-new R 2.0 diesel and six-speed automatic transmission.

Also on display will be the updated Santa Fe which will provide fresh momentum to the CUV sector. It is fitted with a 2.2 version of the all-new R diesel and comes with the option of the new six-speed automatic.

A new Blue edition of Hyundai’s highly popular i30, designed in Germany and built in the Czech Republic, will also debut in Frankfurt. It features fuel-saving stop-and-go emissions reduction technology. The i30 1.6 CRDi with ISG generates 113 g/km of CO₂.