Hyundai launches full-electric vehicle in China for first time as joint venture

By Park Sae-jin Posted : August 10, 2017, 09:36 Updated : August 10, 2017, 09:36

[Courtesy of Hyundai]


Hyundai Motor will introduce its first full-electric vehicle in China, aiming to position itself in the country's highly competitive eco-friendly vehicle market. This is the first time a foreign joint venture in China has introduced a full-electric car.

It is a part of Hyundai's plans to promote sales in China that have been sluggish due to the deployment of a US missile defense system, THAAD, and also to actively respond to regulations on Beijing's eco-friendly vehicles.

According to industry sources, Beijing Hyundai Motor Company (BHMC), a Chinese production and sales subsidiary of Hyundai Motor, this week unveiled the "New Elantra EV", a full-electric model. 

"The New Elantra EV is the first high-quality electric sub-model in the Chinese," BHMA head Chen Guixiang said. "We will focus on entering the new market to attract more Chinese customers to buy more full-electric vehicles."

The new model strategically designed to target  Chinese customers was produced in collaboration with the  Beijing Hyundai Technology Center and the Yantai Institute of Technology. Its design is based on Avante HD, a popular Hyundai compact car.

Unlike other cars, the new vehicle has no radiator grilles and exhaust ports on the front and rear, and a lettering 'electric' was added. It has a 36 kWh battery with an output of 81.4 kW and can charge 80 percent of the battery in 30 minutes. The maximum travel distance is 270 kilometers (167 miles) and the maximum speed is 140 kilometers per hour.

Hyundai's new full-electric vehicle is assessed to have a price competitiveness because of its fair performance. GS and GS Plus trims cost 199,800 yuan (29,913 US dollars) and 20,200 yuan. Buyers can receive government subsidies that could reduce GS trim costs down to 118,000 yuan and GS Plus' down to 113,800 yuan.

With its new vehicle, Hyundai plans to become a leader in the Chinese eco-friendly car market by launching six eco-friendly cars including an SUV electric car by 2020. "We hope our brand image will be expanded through the strengthened competitiveness of our products in China's eco-friendly car market," a Hyundai official said.
 
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