Hyundai Motor has released the first pictures of the new generation of its KONA sub-compact SUV, and like the original IONIQ, there will be a choice of battery electric (BEV), hybrid electric (HEV) or just an internal combustion engine (ICE). A fourth choice will be the sporty N line.
While sharing the same architecture, each version will have unique styling to differentiate it. The overall size has increased a bit with 150 mm addition to the length, 25 mm more width and a wheelbase that is 60 mm longer.
In 1974, when Hyundai made its debut at the Turin Motorshow, the company displayed a concept car of the Pony, Korea’s historically significant car. It was planned for eventual production but due to the adverse global economic environment, the project ended there and the car no longer exists.
While the Pony Coupe Concept was an unfinished dream at the time, its bold spirit helped kickstart the Korean automotive industry by directly influencing Hyundai’s first independent production models under its Pony nameplate which were sold around the world.
Now, the lost concept car will be rebuilt and it will be in collaboration with Italian design firm GFG Style, notably its father and son founders Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro. It was Giorgetto who created the concept car in 1974 so the project is even more significant.
Although Korean cars are becoming increasingly popular in major markets, including China, around the world, they have not penetrated the Japanese market and it is only this year that Hyundai Motor is returning to Japan. The company tried in 2001 and stayed for 8 years, pulling out after selling only 15,000 units.
It’s not a big market for imported makes as the total share for all foreign brands is only around 8%. With electrification growing, the Korean carmaker believes it now has products that will appeal more to Japanese consumers. Earlier this year, it launched the IONIQ 5 and hydrogen-fuelled NEXO EV. The latter model can be offered as Japan is steadily building a hydrogen refuelling network around the country.
Hyundai’s return seems to have been met more positively this time as the IONIQ 5 has been picked to be among the Best 11 Cars in the 2022-2023 Japan Car of The Year (JCOTY) program. There are 11 instead of the usual 10 because there was a tie. These are essentially the finalists from a list of nominees that had 48 models this year (the NEXO was included as well). It is probably the first time that Korean model is appearing in a JCOTY list as we can’t remember any other occasion in previous years.
Apart from not generating toxic emissions as it moves, the battery electric vehicle (BEV) is also like a powerbank on wheels although most people may not see it that way. The battery pack that stores the electricity to power the motors has a large capacity (which keeps increasing) and when needed for running the motors, that energy can also be used for other purposes.
Newer BEVs are being designed so that electricity can be drawn from the vehicle for powering other devices like camping gear, power tools or even lights. In fact, cars have long had this capability through the 12V socket that was originally for the cigarette lighter and now, there are USB ports as well. But these outlets can only power small devices like GPS route navigation units or mobilephones.
Now, Hyundai Motor in the UK is showing how the IONIQ 5 BEV can provide electrical power for a hotel. Working with broadcaster and critic Grace Dent, ‘Hotel Hyundai’ has been created as the world’s first car-powered hotel. While the idea itself is a novelty, it is also a response to research by the Korean carmaker which showed a large number of people having the view that sustainability and the environment are more important to them now compared to 5 years ago when choosing holiday accommodation.
Every carmaker’s range usually has one model that sits at the top as the flagship and for Hyundai Motor, the first flagship was the Grandeur launched in 1986. Back then, it was adapted from the Mitsubishi Debonair and was highly desired among businessmen in Korea.
Following the first generation, the Grandeur has continued to evolve and developed entirely in-house to reach the sixth generation after 36 years. Also known as the Azera in markets outside Korea, the new flagship sedan comes 6 years after the sixth generation was launched in 2016.
After first introducing the Staria Premium seven-seater nearly a year ago, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors has now launched the 10-seater variant of the Hyundai Staria. Three different variants are available with the variants called Lite, Plus and the top of the line variant – Max.
While the Toyota Hiace and its clones from China have long been popular among fleet operators requiring seating for 10 persons or more, there has also been the Hyundai Starex in recent years as an alternative. Now Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) will also offer the Hyundai Staria with a 10-seat configuration.
To go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2022, the large Korean MPV is essentially similar to the Staria 7-seater launched last year. According to Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM, there has been the expectation that the 10-seater Staria will also be made available.
“We have been getting enquiries for the 10-seater variant as there has been anticipation that the 10-seater variant will replace the Starex. Like the Starex, this new 10-seater variant of the Staria is ideal for big families, tour operators and businesses. However, it has vast improvements and more functionalities in every aspect compared to the Starex,” he said.
The Hyundai Motorsport team scored another victory in the World Rally Championship (WRC) with Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe leading the team to a 1-2-3 finish at the 2022 EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.
The Belgians seized top spot early in the rally after 9-time world champion Sebastien Loeb had to drop out when his pace-setting M-Sport Ford Puma had alternator failure. From that moment onwards, the Hyundai duo never looked back, followed by team-mates Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo.
Until recent years, Korean models have not had a strong presence in the movie world (with the exception of Korean movies and TV series, of course). They have occasionally been seen in some action TV series like ‘24’ and ‘?????????? ????????’ but not in a big way for chase scenes. Most of the time, they have just appeared among the other traffic on the streets.
In the latest Netflix movie, ‘????? ????’ (released recently), you’ll see many Hyundai models in many car chase scenes. Because the movie is set during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Korean carmaker supplied Netflix with various retro models from the 1980s. There include the first-generation Grandeur (Azera), a modified Pony pick-up (with its 3-litre engine from the Grandeur), Porter light truck, and some old sedans like the second-generation Sonata, Stellar, and even a Cortina.
Some of the retro models that appear in the movie.In its early years, Hyundai Motor produced a licensed version of the British Ford Cortina, and it appears in the moviebriefly.
Significance of the Grandeur The first-generation Grandeur (which was adapted from the Mitsubishi Debonair) is remembered as a pioneer the premium segment in Korea and was the flagship of the Hyundai brand then. It was admired and desired for its prestige, and this is depicted in the movie.
The original Grandeur which was adapted from the Mitsubishi Debonair and launched in 1986.
The significance of this model in the 1980s inspired the company to create the Hyundai Grandeur Heritage Series as a tribute to the brand’s historic flagship sedan. The restomod, which was unveiled last year, has the classic formal 3-box shape with modern and futuristic elements added. These include the Parametric Pixel lighting that is used in the latest models like the IONIQ 5.
‘Seoul Vibe’ has an all-star Korean cast that includes Ah-in Yoo, Kyung-pyo Go, Kyoo-hyung Lee, Ju-hyun Park, Seong-wu Ong and Jung-se Oh.
Hyundai Motor also provided its Wonhyoro Service Centre at Yongsan for use as a shooting location. Located in the centre of Korea’s capital city, the area around the service centre is owned by the carmaker which plans to build a complex with a hotel and other business facilities.
Teaser for next Grandeur In addition, Hyundai plans to unveil the silhouette of the all-new Grandeur (Azera) in photographs, through a cinematic digital advertisement in a spin-off version of ‘Seoul Vibe,’ utilizing the story and cast of the movie. The digital advertisement spotlights the ever-evolving innovation of Grandeur, from the past to the future, and provides hidden hints about the upcoming model that is expected to be launched in Korea at the end of this year.
With the film’s release, Hyundai Motor is also launching diverse experiential marketing content on digital channels. It has recreated the garage shown in the movie on ZEPETO, the global metaverse platform, to provide a virtual experience space where visitors can assemble and drive the vehicles featured in the movie through the driving zone themed ‘Seoul Vibe’. They will also be able to meet Yoon-hee (Ju-hyun Park), a character in the movie, as an NPC (non-player character), and join a vlog event, using the first-generation Grandeur.
“Through close collaboration with Netflix from the early stages of production, we endeavoured to provide a unique atmosphere for our historic vehicles and locations with a ‘newtro’ (new+retro) vibe that will appeal to every generation, including Millennial and Gen Z audiences,” said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice-President, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience Division at Hyundai Motor Company. “We will continue to explore exhilarating opportunities for our customers to experience and engage with our brand through various partnerships and innovative content.”
Even before full electrification with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has gone mainstream in global markets, some manufacturers are already moving ahead with fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Hyundai Motor was among the first with production FCEV passenger models and is steadily growing its hydrogen fuel cell commercial trucks with the XCIENT Fuel Cell model.
Fuel cell (FC) technology is particularly well-suited to commercial shipping and logistics due to long ranges and short refueling times. The dual-mounted fuel cell system provides enough energy to drive the heavy-duty trucks up and down regions with mountainous terrain.
“XCIENT Fuel Cell is a present-day reality, not as a mere future drawing board project. By putting this groundbreaking vehicle on the road now, Hyundai marks a significant milestone in the history of commercial vehicles and the development of hydrogen society,” said In Cheol Lee, Executive Vice-President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Division at Hyundai Motor. “Building a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem, where critical transportation needs are met by vehicles like XCIENT Fuel Cell, will lead to a paradigm shift that removes automobile emissions from the environmental equation.”
Joint venture in Switzerland The XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks, manufactured in Korea, are marketed a joint venture company which has Swiss company H2 Energy as a partner. The joint-venture company, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM), offers the XCIENT Fuel Cell in a leasing deal which includes all costs, from import to technical support to the availability of green hydrogen. The big advantage is that there are no initial costs for the end customer.
Hyundai chose Switzerland as the starting point for its business venture for various reasons. One of the reasons is that zero-emission trucks do not have to pay Swiss roadtax charges. This nearly equalizes the hauling costs per kilometre of the FC truck compared to a regular diesel truck.
400 kms of range The XCIENT Fuel Cell, the hydrogen FC version of its Xcient truck, is equipped with a 180-kW hydrogen FC system incorporating two 90-kW fuel cell stacks. With a 350-kW e-motor, the vehicle is claimed to be able to travel 400 kms on a full tank and requires only 8 to 20 minutes to fill up. Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 32.09 kgs of hydrogen.
To date, Hyundai has exported XCIENT FC trucks to Switzerland, where it has 23 corporate fleet clients, and more recently, to Germany where 27 units will be used by 7 companies in the logistics and manufacturing sectors.
