All-New Hyundai Kona Hybrid: Even more to offer European customers

All-New Hyundai Kona Hybrid: Even more to offer European customers
All-New Hyundai Kona Hybrid: Even more to offer European customers

Hyundai Motor is enhancing its popular, award-winning Kona line-up with the launch of the All-New Kona Hybrid.

A natural extension to the Kona family, the All-New Kona Hybrid responds to European customers’ demands for more SUV-bodied eco-mobility models. In addition to its bold design, it offers an efficient full hybrid powertrain and features a range of technology enhancements including advanced Blue Link® connectivity features, SmartSense™ active safety and driving assistance systems, as well as state-of-the-art infotainment features. 

The original Kona, taking its name from the stunning Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii, originally launched in 2017 as Hyundai’s first sub-compact SUV in Europe. Last year, the Korean automaker introduced the Kona Electric, its first full electric compact SUV. In addition, Hyundai unveiled a special Kona Iron Man Edition with a limited global production run. Since the original Kona arrived on the market in October 2017, nearly 120,000 in total have been sold in Europe.

The award-winning Kona family

Hyundai’s stylish Kona range has exceeded customer demand across Europe. After its first full year of sales, Kona has captured new customer groups and significantly contributed to Hyundai’s strong position in the trending segment of compact SUVs. The impressive worldwide demand for the popular Kona Electric version in particular, thanks to its powerful electric drivetrain and long driving range, has surpassed even Hyundai’s expectations. 

In addition to their sales success, both the Kona and Kona Electric have won a number of awards over the past 18 months. Last year, the Kona achieved international recognition by winning an iF Design Award for its eye-catching exterior design. Meanwhile, Spanish newspaper ABC named it their Car of the Year 2019. The Kona Electric, on the other hand, has received awards for its eco-friendly credentials, having been named ‘The Greenest Car in Switzerland’ at the Swiss Car of the Year Awards 2019. The UK’s Next Green Car Awards also declared Hyundai’s full-electric SUV its Car of the Year in 2018. And there have been many other accolades along the way.

The All-New Kona Hybrid is a natural extension of Hyundai’s popular model range

Hyundai is now offering a full hybrid version of its award-winning SUV. Following soon after the unveiling of the New IONIQ, the All-New Kona Hybrid is a natural extension to both Hyundai’s Kona family and its eco-mobility range, making cleaner mobility available for even more drivers. It builds on the success of the original Kona and Kona Electric by offering customers the choice of an eco-mobility SUV that fits their needs.

The All-New Kona Hybrid features the Kappa 1.6-litre GDI, a direct-injection petrol four-cylinder engine providing maximum power of 105 PS and 147 Nm of torque. Its permanent magnet electric motor delivers 43.5 PS (32 kW) with maximum torque of 170 Nm.*

Alongside this, the 1.56 kWh lithium ion polymer battery delivers outstanding charge and discharge performance, optimising output from the high voltage battery and allowing for rapid regeneration. Together with the powertrain output of 104 kW (141 PS) and up to 265 Nm of torque, this ensures the All-New Kona Hybrid delivers a dynamic driving experience.

The All-New Kona Hybrid offers technological enhancements including Blue Link®

The All-New Kona Hybrid features Blue Link®, a connected vehicle system which uses embedded telematics to allow drivers to remote lock or unlock their vehicle via a smartphone app.

The optional Audio Video Navigation system (AVN) displays a wide variety of useful information across its 10.25-inch split touch-screen, and features Cloud-based voice recognition in six languages* (*only together with Blue Link). The screen can be customised providing two home screen versions and the ability to edit displayed widgets and icons. 

When choosing the standard connectivity system, customers benefit from Display Audio to mirror their smartphone’s content onto the 7-inch display via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

In addition to this, the All-New Kona Hybrid arrives with Hyundai LIVE Services available when customers choose navigation. Drivers receive a five-year free subscription for this feature, which offers up-to-the-minute information about weather, traffic, speed camera warning (where legally allowed), nearest fuel stations with location and pricing information, on- and off-street parking, live nearby-dealer information and live POI search.

A large cluster screen highlights dedicated HEV-specific graphics for customers. The connectivity offer is rounded off by an optional combiner type head-up display, projecting relevant driving information directly to the driver’s line of sight. This allows for the faster processing of information while keeping attention on the road ahead.

To ensure that occupants’ phones are always charged, the All-New Kona Hybrid also provides an optional wireless inductive charging pad (Qi standard) for mobile phones.

An updated interior design and convenience features

Alongside these convenience features, the All-New Kona Hybrid has its own dedicated interior colour pack. This consists of white accents around the air vent surrounds and gear shift bezel, as well as Glossy Black accents on the door handles, steering wheel spoke and air vent bezel, and a grey headliner.

Standard models feature black woven cloth seats with white stitching, and customers can also choose black cloth-leather seats with white piping, or black leather seats with white stitching. 

In addition to the exclusive Black-White colour pack that is standard on Kona Hybrid, customers can choose from three other expressive colour packs known from Kona: Orange, Lime and Red. The colour accents are featured on the air vent surrounds, around the gearshift, the engine start button ring, the stitching on the seats and steering wheel. All interior colour options come with a black ceiling. The Lime and Red options are moreover available with coloured seat belts as well as glossy black interior door handles and steering wheel spoke, while the steering wheel itself is perforated

Kona Hybrid offers several features for maximum passenger convenience. The optional heated steering wheel provides warmth and comfort even in the coldest weather. Power front seats can feature an optional 3-step ventilation and 3-step heating system for a comfortable ride in any weather conditions (heating function also available with manual seats), while optional heated rear seats offer a high level of comfort for passengers.

The stylish exterior also gets design upgrades

The All-New Kona Hybrid inherits the same expressive design and ‘go anywhere’ attitude of the Kona and Kona Electric. At the front of the vehicle is Hyundai’s trademark Cascading Grille, while twin headlamps are available with full LED technology.

In addition to the launch colours of Blue Lagoon with a black roof, customers can choose from 26 other different colour combinations to tailor the look of the car to their personal style. Customers can choose from between two newly designed and dedicated alloy wheels, one design available in the standard 16-inch and the other on the  optional 18-inch size.

An upgraded safety package

For a comfortable and safe driving experience, the All-New Kona Hybrid is equipped with a comprehensive Hyundai SmartSense technology package. This cutting-edge driver assistance system constantly monitors the environment around the vehicle to protect drivers from potential hazards while on the road.

The All-New Kona Hybrid’s leading safety package includes Front Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection ability. In addition, customers can also choose the optional Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop & Go. This goes further than standard cruise control by incorporating advanced safety features such as automatic braking. It uses front radar sensors to maintain a constant speed and distance from the vehicle ahead by automatically accelerating and braking.

If traffic comes to a halt, the Stop & Go system applies the brake until the car comes to a standstill and accelerates to the desired speed as soon as the road is clear. If the vehicle stops for longer than three seconds, the driver has to activate the system again with the steering wheel controls or by briefly pressing the accelerator pedal.

The optional Lane Following Assist works in tandem with SCC with Stop & Go for the highest driver convenience by keeping the car in the centre of a lane so drivers can navigate safely even in heavy traffic during rush hour. Meanwhile, the optional Intelligent Speed Limit Warning uses the front camera and information from the navigation system to identify road speed signs and displays the speed limit and no-passing signs in real time. Additional options include Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, while Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist and High Beam Assist come standard. 

The All-New Kona Hybrid also features an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) at the command of the driver’s fingertips as standard.

ECO-Driving Assist System: state-of-the-art technology to improve fuel economy

The All-New Kona Hybrid with the 10.25-inch AVN is equipped with the ECO-Driving Assist System (ECO-DAS) to help improve fuel economy. The integrated Coasting Guide analyses road information from the navigation system to notify the driver when deceleration (for example change of direction, cross-roads, highway exits) is imminent. The feature aims to reduce fuel consumption and minimise brake usage. The Coasting Guide can be activated when in Eco mode between 40 and 160 km/h.

Eco-DAS is further equipped with a Predictive Energy Management system, which manages charging and discharging of the battery in uphill and downhill situations to maximise the battery usage. When an incline is expected on a route, and the battery state of charge is low, the vehicle increases engine operation slightly to pre-charge the battery ahead of the uphill section. This ensures that the electric motor can assist going uphill and minimizes the inefficient use of the petrol motor on incline driving situations – thus optimizing fuel-efficiency. If the battery is sufficiently charged, IONIQ Hybrid increases the level of electric motor power usage before driving downhill to minimise fuel consumption. The electric power is then recovered on the way downhill by regenerative braking.

Enhanced driving features

Thanks to the All-New Kona Hybrid’s dynamics and performance, drivers can enjoy the fun-to-drive aspect of a well-built hybrid car with the responsive shifts of a 6-speed dual clutch transmission. Pressing the gear stick to the left, drivers can switch to Sport mode. Paddles on the steering wheel act as manual shifters.

Courtesy: https://www.hyundai.news/eu/model-news/all-new-hyundai-kona-hybrid-even-more-to-offer-european-customers/

Hyundai Motor launches new communication campaign

Hyundai Motor launches new communication campaign
Hyundai Motor launches new communication campaign

Hyundai Motor Europe is launching its new ‘Progress’ campaign, which demonstrates how its heritage formed the progressive spirit that has made it a leader in future mobility today.

Combining brand history and product contents in eye-catching films, the campaign launches with the tagline “Next Awaits”.

From fast follower to leader in future mobility

In 1947, the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company were founded. Following the liberation of South Korea in 1945, the company was awarded major government construction contracts and became responsible for building much of the country’s transportation infrastructure as the nation rapidly industrialised, including the Kyeong-bu expressway, among other important structures. Hyundai therefore became a strong driver in the mobilisation of a whole nation and set the wheels in motion to modernise South Korea.

In 1967, Hyundai Motor Company was founded. The following year, the construction of the company’s Ulsan assembly plant was completed. Today, it is the world’s largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility, with an annual production capacity of 1.6 million units. With a global vessel fleet operated by Hyundai Glovis and its own steel-making affiliate, Hyundai Motor Group controls the whole value chain.

Following the construction of the Ulsan plant, the company decided to develop their own car. George Turnbull, the former Managing Director of Austin Morris at British Leyland, was hired in February 1974 and he developed the Pony, which was introduced to the market in December 1975. Featuring styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro, this compact rear-wheel drive automobile was the first mass-produced South Korean car. It was introduced to the European market in 1978 and was Hyundai’s flagship vehicle for many years.

Throughout the last half-century, Hyundai has refused to stand still. The brand has made considerable investments in hydrogen-powered fuel cell and electrified vehicles to confront the challenges brought about by climate change. In 2016, the company introduced the IONIQ, the world’s first car to be offered with three distinctly different electrified powertrains.

Next Awaits

The ‘Progress’ campaign motto “Next Awaits” was born out of the idea that the company got to where it is today due to its willingness to take risks and lead where others follow – and it will not stop here.

Besides print and online advertisements, the ‘Progress’ hero film is part of the campaign. The main film shows how Hyundai has evolved from its industrial origins to becoming an automotive leader in future mobility. Alongside current models like the IONIQ Electric, Kona Electric and NEXO, viewers are shown some of Hyundai’s best-loved vintage cars, like the Pony. Other campaign films focus on key product pillars of Hyundai’s lineup, including the IONIQ, Kona Hybrid and the successful i-family.

Courtesy: https://www.hyundai.news

Hyundai Motor to present results of in-car cleanliness study at NUMA

Hyundai Motor to present results of in-car cleanliness study at NUMA
Hyundai Motor to present results of in-car cleanliness study at NUMA

Hyundai will present the results of a pioneering in-car cleanliness project at a DataCity DemoDay in Paris on 12th June.

The study, a first-of-its-kind, was conducted in association with Total, Ubeeqo and AI startup GreenTropism. It aims to explore how to maintain the comfort and safety of passengers within car-sharing vehicles. DemoDay is a public event where the results of 11 experimentations will be unveiled, and is considered the high point of the NUMA: DataCity programme.

Shared vehicles expected to experience a growth rate of 20 per cent in coming years. When it comes to cleanliness, consumers expect the same standards as they would for private car. However, cleaning is demanding and time consuming, and with so many people using each vehicle, it will be a challenge for operators to meet the required levels. Therefore, Hyundai partnered with Total to develop a new detection and measurement system of cleanliness level for shared vehicles. As part of the experiment, they inquired about the most common sources of in-car dirtiness, attempting to learn about and identify those that represent the highest risk or inconvenience for passengers.

The partners decided to collaborate with GreenTropism to address the issue. GreenTropism is a startup that combines physical sensors and AI algorithms based on spectroscopy data in shared cars to gather information on the cleanliness of the interior. This includes images, data about stains and ambient air. This data analysis is useful in detecting the presence of coffee stains or grease, and the aim is to understand which criteria are the most relevant in order to measure the level of cleanliness inside a car.

This in-car cleanliness study is part of Hyundai Motor Company’s commitment to Open Innovation, which develops active partnerships within untapped fields. This allows Hyundai to discover new creative and innovative ideas that will expedite the development of advanced future mobility technology. 

Hyundai decided to collaborate with Total within the framework of the DataCity programme to discover new technology solutions enabling new business models in the fast-growing mobility market. Hyundai is committed to delivering higher class vehicles by guaranteeing their cleanliness, while TWIP (Total Wash in Paris), a service by Total, is looking into ways to revolutionise the cleaning process of shared cars.

Courtesy: https://www.hyundai.news/

Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

In collaboration with the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED), Hyundai is showcasing design with an installation made of energy and light. The ‘Energy Zone by Hyundai’ is a space in which the experiential journey created by artist Carlo Bernardini invites the visitor to discover the energy of the models on display. With the Kona Electric, Hyundai offers the first all-electric subcompact SUV on the European market. The Hyundai Kite is an electric dune buggy concept made by students of the Turin-based IED’s master’s degree course in transportation design with the support of Hyundai Design Centre Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

Walking through the light installation in the ‘Energy Zone by Hyundai’, visitors will be brought into a dimension permeated by pure energy. This shows itself in geometries and perspective games produced by luminous optical fibres in the dark. In Bernardini’s works, light is mediated by the use of optical fibre, which the artist has used since 1996 and with which he creates sensational effects of geometries and spaces. The spectator finds himself inside the installation with the impression of being in front of a different artwork at each point of observation.

The Kona Electric will be part of the installation on April 17 and 18. The first all-electric subcompact SUV is a car of no compromise, combining Hyundai’s progressive SUV style with a zero-emission electric powertrain. The new eco-car is available with two different powertrains, offering an outstanding driving range of up to 482 kilometres*. The electric motor of the long-range version delivers an output of 150 kW/204 PS, accelerating the car to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. Hyundai Motor is at the forefront of eco-mobility by already offering the broadest range of electrified powertrains of any carmaker on the European market.

The Hyundai Kite concept also carries a progressive character and bold energy, committed to fun and created by the students of the IED’s master’s degree course in transportation design in collaboration with Hyundai Design Centre Europe. The Kite is a futuristic two-seater electric dune buggy that transforms into a single-seater jet ski. The concept is a doorless, roofless and windowless vehicle that can drive both on the road and over water. Its surfaces interlace, creating a continuum of twists and intersections.

courtesy: www.hyundai.news

Hyundai’s BlueDrive technology explained

Hyundai's BlueDrive technology explained

Hyundai's BlueDrive technology explained

To pass on an environment characterised by clean air and fuel-efficient/zero emissions vehicles, Hyundai Motor has created the BlueDrive strategy. Here’s how it works.

BlueDrive is the philosophy of Hyundai Motor, but what exactly does this philosophy entail? Quite simply, it is the company’s ambition to lead the pollution-free mobility era by improving fuel efficiency and seeking new energy possibilities.

Cars that do not require any fossil fuel to operate and emit zero CO2 are the ultimate goal of Hyundai’s BlueDrive strategy. More specifically, the strategy aims to improve the functionality of automobiles such as performance, safety and convenience while reducing pollution and fuel consumption.

Hyundai Motor’s vision for the future of eco mobility
Hyundai wants to pass on a beautiful environment for the next generation to breathe in clean air and enjoy driving cars without having to worry about fuel efficiency and clean air. Its vision for the future of eco mobility is based around the offer of four green technologies that can cater for different people’s needs: Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV); Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), which can be charged using grid electricity; zero emissions battery Electric Vehicle (EV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV).

HEV combines two power sources of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. As Hyundai’s innovative development of parallel hybrids achieve better fuel economy with improved packaging efficiency, the Hybrid Starter Generator control technology further assists the engine clutch control and reduces the tension between the EV mode and the engine mode for smoother hybrid driving.

PHEV is an advanced hybrid vehicle with extended battery life and greater energy density, making it more fuel-efficient and providing greater range in all-electric mode. Whether driven on EV mode or HEV mode, PHEV has a significant advantage of providing greater driving performance while reducing levels of emissions by restoring the energy from an external electric power source.

EV uses an electric motor and a rechargeable high-density battery for propulsion. Powered from an external source of electricity, EV helps reduce carbon emissions. Equipped with a 28kWh lithium ion battery pack, Hyundai’s IONIQ Electric EV provides optimized solutions for better performance, higher energy density and speed.

By combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a fuel cell stack, FCEV stores compressed hydrogen under high pressure in tanks and produces its own electricity for power with zero exhaust emissions. As the first developer of world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell vehicles, Hyundai continues to lead the future of sustainable motoring technology.

Hyundai Motor plans to launch 15 new eco models by 2020
Speaking at IAA 2017 in Frankfurt, Hyung Cheong Kim, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor Europe, and Thomas A. Schmid, senior vice president and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, set out the company’s eco mobility strategy over the next three years.

By 2020, Hyundai plans to launch 15 new eco models globally, including EV, HEV and FCEV vehicles to match its customers’ lifestyles. 10 of these models will come to Europe, meaning that 60 per cent of Hyundai’s line up will be available as eco cars, and this technology will be more affordable and look more appealing than ever.

Part of this plan includes the launch of Hyundai’s next-generation Fuel Cell electric SUV in Spring 2018. Featuring the most advanced fuel cell technology in the industry, it will have a range of 750 kilometres.

Hyundai’s next pure electric vehicle will be the KONA electric, merging the two hottest trends in the automotive market: SUV and EVs. It will launch at the Geneva motor show next year. Hyundai is also developing a dedicated EV architecture to produce multiple models with longer driving ranges.

Smart Stream is fuel efficient and offers cleaner dynamic performance
In the coming years, Hyundai will launch its newest generation of gasoline powertrains, named Smart Stream. With Smart Stream, Hyundai aims to be a leader in fuel efficiency and cleaner dynamic performance.

And now more than 15,000 European customers are driving IONIQ, Hyundai’s innovative eco car, while in October Hyundai starts its first electric car sharing program in Amsterdam, offering 100 IONIQ Electric zero-emission vehicles for even more people.

courtesy: www.hyundai.news