Hyundai Sets Lofty Target for IONIQ Hybrid
car&bike Team
1 min read
Jan 14, 2016, 09:24 PM
Hyundai on Thursday revealed that it aims to sell 77,000 units of the IONIQ globally next year, its first dedicated gasoline-electric hybrid car. That's 80 per cent more than their total hybrid car sales in 2015, as the company tries to meet emissions regulations in key markets.
The South Korean carmaker also claims that the IONIQ has an estimated fuel efficiency of 57 miles per gallon (mpg) (24Km/l) in the US, edging out an estimated 52 mpg (22Km/l) for Toyota's redesigned Prius, the world's top-selling gasoline hybrid which goes on sale in the US market this month.
Stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations in the US, Europe, and South Korea are compelling carmakers to push fuel-efficient cars even as low oil prices undercut demand.
The stakes are higher for Hyundai, which has invested heavily to build a hybrid-only model to take on dominant leader Toyota.
Also Read: Hyundai Motors Introduces IONIQ Hybrid With 3 Eco-Friendly Powertrains
Hyundai said it has built a tailor-made platform, engine, and other key parts for the car, to help achieve a better fuel economy than the latest Prius.
"We are somewhat late to the market but we have been catching up very quickly," Ryu Chang-sung, a director at Hyundai, said.
The compact car, which was unveiled last week and launched in Korea on Thursday, will be rolled out in other markets like the US and China.
Hyundai aims to sell 30,000 IONIQs this year. Next year, the target is 62,000 overseas and 15,000 at home, or about 80 per cent higher than the 42,778 hybrid cars Hyundai sold in 2015.
The South Korean automaker has so far launched hybrid variants of their existing models like the Sonata and the Azera, but the 1.6-litre IONIQ is the first hybrid-exclusive car it has made from scratch.
Hyundai aims to become the No. 2 player in the global green car market by 2020, by raising their range to more than 26 models.
Green cars would account for about 10 per cent of its total car sales in 2020, up from 2 per cent now, the company says.
The South Korean carmaker also claims that the IONIQ has an estimated fuel efficiency of 57 miles per gallon (mpg) (24Km/l) in the US, edging out an estimated 52 mpg (22Km/l) for Toyota's redesigned Prius, the world's top-selling gasoline hybrid which goes on sale in the US market this month.
Stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations in the US, Europe, and South Korea are compelling carmakers to push fuel-efficient cars even as low oil prices undercut demand.
The stakes are higher for Hyundai, which has invested heavily to build a hybrid-only model to take on dominant leader Toyota.
Also Read: Hyundai Motors Introduces IONIQ Hybrid With 3 Eco-Friendly Powertrains
Hyundai said it has built a tailor-made platform, engine, and other key parts for the car, to help achieve a better fuel economy than the latest Prius.
"We are somewhat late to the market but we have been catching up very quickly," Ryu Chang-sung, a director at Hyundai, said.
The compact car, which was unveiled last week and launched in Korea on Thursday, will be rolled out in other markets like the US and China.
Hyundai aims to sell 30,000 IONIQs this year. Next year, the target is 62,000 overseas and 15,000 at home, or about 80 per cent higher than the 42,778 hybrid cars Hyundai sold in 2015.
The South Korean automaker has so far launched hybrid variants of their existing models like the Sonata and the Azera, but the 1.6-litre IONIQ is the first hybrid-exclusive car it has made from scratch.
Hyundai aims to become the No. 2 player in the global green car market by 2020, by raising their range to more than 26 models.
Green cars would account for about 10 per cent of its total car sales in 2020, up from 2 per cent now, the company says.
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