Hyundai has been a little slower to react to the accelerated growth in hybrid technology but that’s more out of choice than ability. Evidence of their early interest in hybrid technology goes back to 2010 when the company launched its first hybrid concept, the Blue- Will.
Now however the time to launch a mainstay Prius rival has arrived and the loniq shows no ill-effects of its late start. A dedicated hybrid car from the ground up it will pioneer the technology for future models and bridge the gap between combustion engines and pure electric cars.
The 2016 Hyundai loniq has been spotted testing and will be unique in that customers will have the choice between three powertrain options. Hyundai claims this is the first production car to offer such flexibility under one roof and the outcome is supposed to be one of fun and efficiency – words that are new to Hyundai’s vocabulary. The car’s hybrid systems sit deep into an identical platform used by the Kia Niro – another development to look forward to next year.
A lithium ion battery provides the Hyundai loniq with power in full EV mode and like the BMW i8 a small combustion engine will charge the battery. This means the Hyundai loniq will have an extended range because it doesn’t need to rely solely on the capacity of the battery. At this stage a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine with roughly 80kW is the most likely candidate and the setup will help Hyundai achieve a targeted 95g/km by 2020.
Interior changes will reflect the car’s higher price and features such as a large infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster usher in radical new-fangled technology for the Hyundai brand. Not much is known about the loniq’s dimensions but this five-seater hatchback shouldn’t differ too much from Prius.
For many the first sightings of the Hyundai loniq will be at the Geneva Motor Show while sales across Europe are expected in the later stages of 2016. With Toyota recently confirming that the new Prius model will come to South Africa, one presumes that Hyundai will follow.
Head of Hyundai Motor R&D Center Woong-Chul Yang said: “We are proud to advance our eco-friendly car line-up with the introduction of Ioniq. Our vision for future mobility focuses on choice, with a variety of powertrain options to suit customers’ varied lifestyles, without compromising on design or driving enjoyment. Ioniq embodies Hyundai Motor’s vision to shift the automotive paradigm and future mobility”
