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08/24/11--10:57: Hyundai Veloster priced from $17,300 (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai



2012 Hyundai Veloster - Click above for high-res image gallery


Hyundai Motor America President and CEO John Krafcik just tweeted that the well-equipped 2012 Veloster starts at $17,300. How does that fit in with similar vehicles from other companies? Well, that small amount of cash can't buy you a Honda CR-Z, a Mini Cooper or even a Scion TC, all considered competitors of the soon-to-be launched Veloster.

Of course, in this class of vehicle, fuel economy tends to reign supreme. No problem there, says Hyundai. The Korean automaker promises Veloster drivers will see 40-plus miles per gallon out on the highway. Compared to the CR-Z's rating of 35 mpg city and 39 mpg highway, the gas-only Veloster seems ready to compete. Add in that Hyundai's sporty coupe achieves 40-plus mpg with a conventional 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine - eschewing the cost, complexity and weight of a hybrid system - and it would seem Hyundai has a winner in the works. Of course, the $17,300 price is just for the standard six-speed manual. If you opt for the six-speed EcoShift Dual Clutch, you'll have to pay a still-reasonable $18,550. For more on the Veloster, check out Autoblog's First Ride.

Continue reading Hyundai Veloster priced from $17,300

Hyundai Veloster priced from $17,300 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/30/11--06:03: Ford tries to prove 2012 Focus is more fuel efficient than Hyundai Elantra (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Ford, Hyundai



Hyundai promotes its redesigned 2011 Elantra as a 40-mpg rated subcompact no matter how it's optioned. Meanwhile, Ford can only say, officially, that the 2012 Focus cracks the coveted 40-mpg mark when equipped with the SFE (super fuel economy) package and six-speed automatic transmission. This must upset Ford, so to prove that the Focus is a fuel-sipping hatch regardless of its options, the Blue Oval organized a media drive in Romeo, MI recently.

Ford engineers had automotive industry reporters drive the Elantra at a steady 45 miles per hour around its 2.5-mile track in Romeo. Then, reporters hopped in a Focus (one not equipped with the SFE package) and lapped the track at the same speed. Ford says all conditions were equal and that an engineer in the backseat of each vehicle monitored fuel economy.

After dozens of drives, the results showed that the average fuel economy of the Focus was 40.4 mpg versus the Elantra's average of 37.8 mpg. So, Ford seems to have proved that, when it comes to fuel economy, the Focus is more efficient at a steady 45 mph than the Elantra. Do these results matter in real-world driving? We haven't a clue.

Ford tries to prove 2012 Focus is more fuel efficient than Hyundai Elantra originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/06/11--10:54: Beijing Hyundai Motor to unveil production-ready electric vehicle by end of 2011 (chan 1909979)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hyundai, China



Beijing Hyundai Motor, a joint venture between South Korean automaker Hyundai and China's Beijing Automotive Industry Holding (BAIC), will reportedly unveil a production-ready electric vehicle by the end of 2011, according to local media sources in China.

The undisclosed electric vehicle will reportedly go on sale in China sometime during the first half of 2012, according to one of the country's major online news portals, which cites information supposedly released by Beijing Hyundai's vice-president, Li Feng.

In order to manufacture and sell vehicles in China, foreign automakers must establish joint ventures with local firms. Even though there is some hesitation, the government of China is still urging foreign automakers to push forward the launch of advanced technology vehicles so that the nation can retain a slight chance of meeting its optimistic goal of worldwide plug-in domination.

Beijing Hyundai Motor to unveil production-ready electric vehicle by end of 2011 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/13/11--12:03: Hyundai Drive 4 Hope drives up cancer awareness with hydrogen SUV (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Hydrogen, Hyundai



Hyundai Motor America has launched its Drive 4 Hope cancer awareness campaign. During the month of September, the official vehicle of Hope on Wheels, the Hyundai Tucson FCEV, will travel coast to coast for kids with cancer.

During its nationwide tour, the hydrogen-powered Tucson will stop at hospitals across the U.S. and the team will collect handprints from young cancer patients and survivors. By the end of the month, the vehicle will have hundreds of handprints from children across the nation, each representing an individual account of a child's battle with this disease.

Following its kickoff in San Francisco on September 1, the Hyundai Tucson FCEV has been on a 4,500-mile journey that will take it through 15 states in 30 days. Hyundai's goal is to raise (and then donate) $7.1 million for pediatric cancer research projects.

Continue reading Hyundai Drive 4 Hope drives up cancer awareness with hydrogen SUV

Hyundai Drive 4 Hope drives up cancer awareness with hydrogen SUV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/20/11--07:02: Kia to focus on electric, Hyundai on plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles (chan 1909979)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Hyundai, Kia



Word from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is that there are dividing lines forming in the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group: Kia will focus solely on electric vehicles, while Hyundai will develop plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. This according to Yang Woong-chul, vice-president of the automotive group.

Under the new strategy, Kia will manufacture the group's first highway-capable electric vehicle with the codename "TAM." This vehicle is tentatively slated to launch by the end of 2011.

Meanwhile, Hyundai, with its fuel cell technological advantage, will continue to focus on refining its hydrogen-fueled Tuscon ix FCEV and reportedly is on track to debut a plug-in hybrid vehicle by the end of 2013.

What do you think about a split approach that will likely mean Hyundai will be without an electric vehicle during a time when virtually all automakers are readying EVs? The two companies could share technologies fairly easily if needed, but could the strategy backfire if Hyundai's commitment to fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles proves too intense?

Kia to focus on electric, Hyundai on plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/01/11--06:31: Hyundai working on fuel-saving 10-speed automatic (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai



What's eight plus two? If you guessed ten, then you'd be right. As in, right on the mark in answering a related question: How many forward gears will Hyundai's next-generation automatic transmission feature?

Automotive News reports that Koren automaker Hyundai will skip past nine speeds and go straight for a double-digit ten-speed trans as soon as 2014. Word is Hyundai will initially equip only its Genesis and Equus sedans with the ten-speed unit to bump up the fuel economy rating of both vehicles, but the trickle-down effect most likely means we'll see the ten-speed slushbox in additional Hyundai models at some later date.

If this report pans out to be true, then Hyundai is truly taking the uncharted path in the world of multi-speed transmissions. Plenty of OEMs are working on or have eight-speeds out there, but ten?

Hyundai working on fuel-saving 10-speed automatic originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/03/11--07:17: Kia readying electric minicar for late 2011 launch (chan 1909979)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hyundai, Kia, Asia



Word from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show was that dividing lines would form in the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, with Kia to focus solely on electric vehicles and Hyundai to develop plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

Under this strategy, Kia will soon kick off small-scale production of the group's first highway-capable electric vehicle under the codename "TAM." The vehicle - scheduled to launch in late 2011 - is reportedly based on the Hyundai i10 minicar. Specs? We'd expect the electrified Kia to sport a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery, a 49-kW (66 horsepower) electric motor and be a sub-100-mile electric mini.

The Kia-badged i10 electric will likely differ only slightly from the Hyundai i10 BlueOn prototype that took to the streets of South Korea in limited numbers back in September 2010. According to Kia, the electrified version of the i10 will be a low-volume production model, with output set at 2,000 units in 2012. There's no word on whether or not Kia's electric minicar will ever hit the U.S.

Kia readying electric minicar for late 2011 launch originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/03/11--16:41: Hybrid vehicle sales slip in September 2011; Prius tops chart again *UPDATE (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Hybrid, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Lincoln, Toyota



It's that time of month again. September 2011 sales in the U.S. have been tallied (see plug-in results here) and so we took a look at the good-old green standby, hybrid vehicles. With quake-related vehicle production issues more or less out of the picture, output of most hybrid vehicles is back on track, even if demand isn't.

For September, Toyota Prius sales came in at 9,325 units, down a bit from the 9,491 units sold in August and a couple thousand units shy of the 11,394 Priuses sold in September a year ago. The Honda CR-Z edged out the Honda Insight, with 537 versus 512 units sold, respectively. Meanwhile, sales of the Honda Civic Hybrid continued to slump, coming in at 305 units, up from the 106 gas-electric Civics sold in August. Though not a hybrid, the hydrogen Honda FCX Clarity tallied one unit sold in September, down 50 percent compared to the pair of FCX Clarity sedans sold in September of 2010 (aren't statistics wonderful?).

Luxury automaker Lexus reports that sales of the CT 200h rang in at 1,444 in September, down from August's mark of 2,087. And the not-so-hot Lexus HS 250h fared only okay with sales of 231 units, compared to 711 sold in September of 2010.

Overall, Toyota-Lexus posted September sales of 12,123 hybrid vehicles, a decrease of 18.5 percent compared to September of 2010. Lexus' hybrids accounted for 2,351 of those vehicles, leaving Toyota with 9,772 hybrids sold. Overall, the automaker sold 121,451 vehicles last month. We'll update this post as more sales numbers - particularly from Ford and Hyundai - become available. For details on plug-in vehicle sales, click here.

*UPDATE: Ford's numbers are in, with the Blue Oval reporting Fusion Hybrid sales of 552, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid sales at 455 and sales of the gas-electric Escape at 566 units for the month of September.

Continue reading Hybrid vehicle sales slip in September 2011; Prius tops chart again *UPDATE

Hybrid vehicle sales slip in September 2011; Prius tops chart again *UPDATE originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/05/11--11:04: Consumer Reports calls 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid disappointing (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Hybrid, Hyundai



Does the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid match its stellar non-gas-electric counterpart? According to Consumer Reports, the answer is simple: the Sonata Hybrid - unlike the conventional Sonata GLS - is full of flaws.

Consumer Reports issued a score of 69 to the Sonata Hybrid, a full 20 points shy of its previously-tested, conventional Sonata GLS, but still two points above the Chevrolet Volt. Although the Sonata Hybrid returned better fuel economy than its non-hybrid doppelganger (33 miles per gallon vs. 27 mpg), the trade-offs in other areas are simply too much for CR to tag the Sonata Hybrid with Recommended status.

Demerits were given for a vehicle that stumbles and hesitates as it makes the transition from electric to gas, sub-par handling, poor braking, driveability issues, excessive road noise and a six-speed automatic transmission that's not as smooth as the CVTs found in most competing hybrids. On the plus side, the Sonata Hybrid features a large dash display and controls that are legible and easy to use - not features that most enthusiasts are concerned with.

Continue reading Consumer Reports calls 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid disappointing

Consumer Reports calls 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid disappointing originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/07/11--07:14: Hyundai adds average window-label mpg to monthly sales results (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai



Reporting sales-weighted Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) on a monthly basis is apparently too confusing for consumers. Therefore, Hyundai has to decided to add in some more accurate fuel economy numbers to the monthly mix.

Starting with the posting of its September U.S. sales results, Hyundai threw in average window-label fuel economy results, becoming the first-ever automaker to disclose this data. Here's Hyundai's reasoning behind giving out the additional data points:


CAFE fuel economy is based on data from fuel economy tests and does not include adjustments taken to reflect real-world driving conditions. These are used to set federal standards. Average window-label fuel economy is what is shown on the vehicle window sticker. It is calculated by taking data from fuel economy tests and applying adjustments which results in ratings that more accurately reflect what drivers will get in real-world driving.

And judging by the discrepancy between the two sets of numbers, we'd agree that window-label results are far more useful to consumers than the near-meaningless CAFE numbers. From here on out, Hyundai will publish its monthly sales results with both sets of fuel economy data points. Which automaker(s) do you reckon will be next?

Continue reading Hyundai adds average window-label mpg to monthly sales results

Hyundai adds average window-label mpg to monthly sales results originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/09/11--14:55: 2013 Hyundai i30 plug-in hybrid to undercut price of Toyota Prius Plug-in (chan 1909979)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Hyundai, Toyota



Korean automaker Hyundai is getting ready to take direct aim at the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid with its scheduled-to-launch-in-2013 Hyundai i30 gas-electric with a plug, according to a report from German news outlet Auto Motor und Sport.

Word is Hyundai's first-ever mass-produced plug-in hybrid - to be based on the recently unveiled i30 - will debut in late 2012, with its European launch scheduled for sometime in 2013. Auto Motor und Sport reports that when it hits, the hybridized i30 will become Europe's cheapest plug-in gas-electric, undercutting the less-than-£26,000-after-rebate price of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in the UK (that's $40,435 U.S. at today's exchange rate).

At this time, no further details on the i30 plug-in hybrid have surfaced and Hyundai has not confirmed the development, launch schedule or pricing for this plugged-in compact hatchback. Still, if this is a trial balloon, we like the way it's floating.

2013 Hyundai i30 plug-in hybrid to undercut price of Toyota Prius Plug-in originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/02/11--10:00: Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, Legislation and Policy



Right when it looks like Hyundai can do no wrong, we have this: A consumer protection group is asking the United States Environmental Protection Agency to look into claims that the Elantra has exaggerated fuel economy numbers.

Consumer Watchdog sent the EPA a letter citing a litany of public criticism of the compact Elantra's real-world fuel economy, and asking the EPA to "re-test the 2011 and 2012 Elantra models in its own facility, to seek an explanation for the MPG disappointments of so many Elantra buyers."

Except that many Elantra buyers are actually satisfied with their mileage. When we asked Hyundai for a response to the allegations, its public relations staff pointed us to a J.D. Power APEAL study showing that, "Elantra owners are the happiest in the entire compact segment competitive set in terms of fuel economy."

Hyundai did note that real-world fuel economy results often differ from EPA label values, but stopped short of writing the whole thing off as "your mileage may vary." According to Hyundai, when Consumer Reports put the Elantra through its tough city cycle test regimen, the results were consistent with other compact cars, all of which underperformed compared to the EPA test. Hyundai said the Elantra achieved 20 mpg, which was higher than Honda Civic at 19, Ford Focus at 18, and Chevrolet Cruze at 17. "These results show rank-order consistency with the EPA results of Elantra (29), Civic (28), Focus (28), and Cruze (22)," said Hyundai.

The Elantra was redesigned for the 2011 model year, and when we tested one, we averaged 31 mpg over a week of mixed driving, compared to EPA numbers of 29/40/33 city/highway/combined. For 2012, Hyundai has actually added its ActiveECO system that it says can improve fuel economy by up to seven percent. Sales of the Elantra were up 44 percent in November.

Click past the jump to read the full press release.

Continue reading Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim

Consumer group cries foul on Hyundai's 40-mpg claim originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/05/12--07:46: Hyundai will boost 2012 investment by 16%, largely on fuel-efficiency efforts (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Hyundai, Kia



Hyundai Motor Group, the parent of both South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor Group and Kia International, will boost investment in facilities, research and development by 16 percent this year largely on its efforts to develop more fuel efficient engines for the two automakers.

Hyundai Motor Group said last week that it will invest 14.1 trillion won (about $12.2 billion U.S. at today's exchange rates) in its plants and research in 2012, up from 12.2 trillion won in 2011. Hyundai Motor Group's R&D investment will increase about 11 percent this year to 5.1 trillion won, and 90 percent of that total will be targeted towards boosting its vehicles' fuel economy and cutting their greenhouse-gas emissions.

With U.S. gas prices up about 27 percent last year, Hyundai has successfully pitched its vehicles' fuel economy to boost sales. Through the first 11 months of last year, Hyundai Motor America increased U.S. vehicle sales by 21 percent from a year earlier to almost 595,000 vehicles and said its fleetwide fuel economy topped 27 miles per gallon. Kia's U.S. sales through November jumped 36 percent from a year earlier, to more than 442,000 vehicles, with models such as the Optima and Sportage more than doubling their sales.

Hyundai and Kia's fleetwide fuel economy figures benefit from the fact that neither company sells large, gas-guzzling SUVs. For the model year 2010, Hyundai and Kia achieved fleetwide fuel-economy levels of 25.9 miles per gallon and 25.1 miles per gallon, putting Hyundai and Kia at No. 1 and No. 3 among the 14 largest automakers when it came to fuel efficiency, according to the EPA.

Hyundai has long marketed its efforts to boost fuel economy through both drivetrain electrification and more efficient gas motors as an integrated effort, even going as far as refusing to break out sales totals for its sole U.S. hybrid vehicle, the Sonata Hybrid. Instead, Hyundai has touted its fleet of vehicles that get at least an EPA-rated 40 miles per gallon highway and said those vehicles - the Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Accent and Veloster - account for a third of its U.S. sales.

In August 2010, Hyundai garnered attention among fuel-efficiency advocates by saying that it would boost its fleetwide fuel economy for its U.S. cars and light-duty trucks to 50 miles per gallon by 2025, a 43 percent increase from Hyundai's goal for 2015.

Continue reading Hyundai will boost 2012 investment by 16%, largely on fuel-efficiency efforts

Hyundai will boost 2012 investment by 16%, largely on fuel-efficiency efforts originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/11/12--04:52: Hyundai offers 'lifetime battery replacement guarantee' for Sonata Hybrid (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Hybrid, Hyundai



Hyundai is complementing its standard 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty by adding a "lifetime battery replacement guarantee" for the Sonata Hybrid, the only hybrid the South Korean automaker sells.

Hyundai said Monday that, in the event of breakdown of the Sonata Hybrid's lithium polymer battery, the company will replace the battery free of charge and pay for its recycling costs. Hyundai, which co-developed the lithium polymer battery with LG Chem, says the Sonata Hybrid's drivetrain can hold up under more than 300,000 miles of driving with "minimal degradation."

Hyundai continues to pitch its cars' reliability and fuel efficiency as a way to boost U.S. sales. For the model year 2010, the most recent year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tracked fleetwide fuel efficiency, Hyundai achieved a fleetwide fuel-economy level of 25.9 miles per gallon, best among the 14 largest automakers. Hyundai boosted U.S. sales by 20 percent last year to a record 645,691 vehicles, with the Sonata as its best-selling line. The company doesn't break out sales numbers specifically for the Sonata Hybrid, which is rated by the EPA to get 37 miles per gallon combined.

Hyundai has been offering a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on all of its vehicles since 1999.

Continue reading Hyundai offers 'lifetime battery replacement guarantee' for Sonata Hybrid

Hyundai offers 'lifetime battery replacement guarantee' for Sonata Hybrid originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/13/12--12:57: Hyundai hits 2016 CAFE requirements early (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, Legislation and Policy



All automakers are under pressure to hit more stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, figures set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 1978, the CAFE standards were just 18 miles per gallon, but they have increased gradually each year. This summer, the bar was raised high when automobile manufacturers were told to hit 54.5 mpg by 2025. While that is a very steep ladder to climb, Hyundai hit the 2016 CAFE requirements in 2011 - the Korean automaker seems to be jumping the rungs on the way up.

The announcement that Hyundai hit a 36 mpg average four years ahead of the requirement is impressive, but there is never good news without some controversy. A consumer protection group is standing behind its claim that the Hyundai Elantra doesn't meet its U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy in real-world driving. Hyundai acknowledges that consumers may not achieve EPA estimated efficiency, but the Elanta's discrepancy was consistent with the other vehicles in its segment when tested by Consumer Reports (and just about every vehicle on the road, says our experience).

It is interesting to note that, while the EPA has not altered its fuel economy ratings on the 2012 Elantra, the automaker has added its ActiveECO feature to the model that reportedly improves fuel economy up to seven percent.

Hyundai hits 2016 CAFE requirements early originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/03/12--14:53: Who was for, who was against CARB's ZEV mandate "over-compliance" rule (chan 1909979)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy



What impact will the "over-compliance" rule - some would say loophole - in the California Air Resources Board's recent changes to the Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate have? The short and obvious answer is that only time will tell, but one can make the case both that it's a good thing and that it's a bad thing. Odd, but true.

Before we get too far into this, a primer on the ZEV Mandate changes and what the over-compliance rule actually is is important. The basic idea is that CARB wants to reduce the amount of CO2 and other pollutants in the air that come from transportation. Zero-emission vehicles - whether they be plug-in or hydrogen powered - will do this, so CARB decided that at least 15.4 percent of all the cars sold by a major automaker in California needs to be either an EV, a plug-in hybrid or a hydrogen fuel cell vehcile by 2025. To go along with this new rule, some automakers asked for - and got - an over-compliance rule that will "allow manufacturers who systematically over comply with the proposed LEV III GHG fleet standard to offset a portion of their ZEV requirement in 2018 through 2021 model years only."

Some argue that the over-compliance rule will lead to a smaller environmental benefit from ZEVs because, quite simply, there will be fewer ZEVs on the roads than there would be without the rule. This is true. It's also true, as others will argue, that what matters most is lowering the amount of nasty pollutants and emissions from the air, so who cares if this happens because there is a true ZEV driving around or a much-improved (read: cleaner) gas-powered car that emits fewer greenhouse gases than today's vehicles?

We didn't want to try and answer that question. But we did think it made sense to try and capture the landscape of the recent battle over the rule, and so we asked some of the involved automakers and other concerned parties for their opinions. We put together a list of responses after the jump.

Continue reading Who was for, who was against CARB's ZEV mandate "over-compliance" rule

Who was for, who was against CARB's ZEV mandate "over-compliance" rule originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/05/12--13:31: Did Hyundai pull MPG claims from Super Bowl ad due to watchdog group pressure? [w/video] (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, Videos



Hyundai has been targeted by Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit advocacy organization, over the automaker's 40 mpg fuel efficiency claim on the Hyundai Elantra. The group says Elantra owners have seen fuel economy averages of 18 and 19 mpg instead of the the 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway reported by Hyundai and the Environmental Protection Agency (see also: Civic Hybrid lawsuit). As such, the group has sent letters to both Hyundai CEO John Krafcik and President Eok Jo Kim warning that if the automaker advertised the 40 mpg claim in the company's Super Bowl spots, Consumer Watchdog would release a retaliatory video of its own. The group has since followed through with that threat.

Hyundai has since released a new, updated version of its Super Bowl ad, and Consumer Watchdog claims the Korean automaker has now promised not to include the 40 mpg figure in any of the spots. Hyundai, meanwhile, released a statement saying the company's advertising was "in no way" influenced by the Consumer Watchdog claims, comments or statements. Click past the jump for a look at the Elantra Super Bowl spot, the Consumer Watchdog clip about the vehicle's mileage claims and a press release from the non-profit.

Also worth a read is Popular Mechanics just-published (and very timely) fuel-economy test of two cars boasting 40 mpg EPA highway ratings: the Ford Focus SFE and the Hyundai Elantra. Ultimately, when you get past all the noise, it's important to remember that "your mileage may vary" is a mantra for a reason.

Continue reading Did Hyundai pull MPG claims from Super Bowl ad due to watchdog group pressure? [w/video]

Did Hyundai pull MPG claims from Super Bowl ad due to watchdog group pressure? [w/video] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/08/12--15:02: 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT delivers lightness, functionality (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, Chicago Auto Show



After driving the 2013 Elantra GT out on stage here in Chicago, Hyundai executives immediately focused on one of its new five-door's core values: lightness. You see, the GT is the lightest C-segment hatchback in the United States, weighing 151 pounds less than a Mazda3, 175 pounds less than a Ford Focus and 222 pounds less than the fatty-fat-fat Volkswagen Golf. Even so, the Elantra GT has the most capacious interior in its class.

Power comes from the Elantra sedan's 1.8-liter naturally aspirated inline-four, meaning 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque are on tap, and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Fuel economy is only slightly worse than the 40-mile-per-gallon Elantra sedan, with the GT expected to get as high as 39 mpg on the highway. The full details are available in Hyundai's release below the fold.

Continue reading 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT delivers lightness, functionality

2013 Hyundai Elantra GT delivers lightness, functionality originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/10/12--10:57: Hyundai CEO: Elantra GT's 39 mpg is "pretty good" (chan 1909979)

Filed under: MPG, Hyundai, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Chicago Auto Show



During the unveiling of the Hyundai Elantra GT at the Chicago Auto Show, the message was the following: This car is lighter than its competitors, cars like the Mazda3, Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf, and therefore it gets decent fuel economy.

Hyundai CEO John Krafcik pointedly mentioned that a lot of vehicles these days - from Hyundai and other automakers - get 40 miles per gallon, even though the Elantra GT is rated at only 39 mpg on the highway. The big 4-0 remains an important psychological barrier that's often highlighted in advertising, so we asked Krafcik if he and the engineers are happy with 39 mpg. He said, "I'm sure they were hoping for [40], but that 39 is still best in class and that's pretty good." He added:


There's a slew of vehicles that get over 40 miles per gallon. That car (the GT) is a little bit heavier. It's got a bit more stuff on it so we had a sense that it was going to be a challenge to get to 40, but the difference between 39 and 40 is two percent, it's not a whole heck of a lot.

Krafcik's right, of course, that the one mpg difference isn't that big of a deal. Does it matter to you?

Hyundai CEO: Elantra GT's 39 mpg is "pretty good" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/19/12--13:35: Paice drags Hyundai, Kia into long-running hybrid patent fight with Toyota (chan 1909979)

Filed under: Etc., Hybrid, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota



With all the news coming out recently about the small claims lawsuit over the Honda Civic Hybrid, readers may have forgotten the name behind a long-running legal issue over Toyota's hybrid system: Paice. The latest development is that Paice and the Abell Foundation (an investor in Paice) have sued Hyundai and Kia over the gas-electric technology used in the Optima and Sonata hybrids (pictured), which shares some parts with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. Read up on the details of Alex Severinsky's story here.

Paice claims that Hyundai and Kia should have known that Toyota was dealing with legal issues - especially since Paice has been contacting Hyundai about the issue - and says that the Korean automakers are infringing three patents that Paice owns. Toyota and Paice settled their long-looming hybrid patent infringement case in 2010 after eight years, during which time the courts routinely rejected Toyota's request to dismiss the case. Toyota paid royalties to Paice for the Prius, Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h models it sold.

Paice drags Hyundai, Kia into long-running hybrid patent fight with Toyota originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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