Hyundai Motor Group has been on a roll with its three brands and that’s going to continue as electrification becomes the norm. Group chairman Eisun Chung’s New Year’s message has revealed that 2021 will mark the start of its electrified vehicle offensive. In addition to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia and Genesis will also debut their EVs this year. Additionally, the automaker has given a full overview of its electrification plan and what it includes beyond new vehicles.
As with the Ioniq 5, Kia and Genesis’ EVs will utilize the Hyundai Motor Group’s new E-GMP architecture. This platform is exclusive to EVs and will underpin a total of 23 vehicles by 2025. A key highlight of the E-GMP platform is the ability to charge at 800V or 400V thanks to a patented motor and inverter. As a result, vehicles on E-GMP can charge their batteries to 80 percent in 18 minutes or add 100 km or around 62 miles of range every five minutes.
Beyond vehicles, Hyundai Motor Group also plans to expand charging infrastructure. In its home market of South Korea, the automaker plans to add 20 high-speed charging stations. Hyundai Group will also cooperate with energy companies to optimize EV infrastructure for each market. In Europe, for example, Hyundai invested in IONITY, the leading high-speed charging network there.
In addition to improving EV charging infrastructure, Hyundai Motor Group aims to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. This mainly applies to commercial vehicles, shipping, and trains, all of which will be served by Hyundai’s HTWO brand. That division aims to hasten the move toward carbon neutrality by expanding the use of hydrogen to more mobility applications including urban air mobility.
The move toward electrification also includes a commitment to safety and autonomy. By 2022, Hyundai Motor Group will apply level 3 autonomous driving technologies to its mass production models before expanding into a push for projects like robotaxis by 2023. Currently, Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv are planning to work together to test level 4 self-driving tech in Nevada. Lyft will also be one of the automaker’s partners by 2023 for the commercialization of autonomous driving.
As Hyundai Motor Group electrifies, building EVs is just one part of the equation. The automaker intends to create a whole ecosystem for electrified vehicles as part of its portfolio of mobility solutions. Everything from EVs and hydrogen fuel cells to autonomous driving and refueling networks for all types of electrified vehicles are covered in the plan. This is an all-encompassing strategy that covers nearly all of the sectors that Hyundai Motor Group does business in, not just the manufacturing of cars.
