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Written by Stephen Dobie
Hyundai had a record year in 2015, selling nearly five million cars. But it"s just the beginning of some major growth, according to UK president Tony Whitehorn."By the end of 2018, the oldest car in our range will be the Ioniq," he tells TG. The Ioniq (in white, above) is Hyundai"s new Prius rival. And it"s, um, not even been launched yet. Bold product planning, then."Between now and 2020, we"ll launch a total of 22 cars with alternative methods of propulsion," he continues, barely having taken breath. Twelve of those will be hybrids, he reveals, the Ioniq - launching later this year - the first of those. It will eventually offer a choice of electric, hybrid and plug-in drivetrains."It"s much easier to go to market with a brand new car, than put these drivetrains under, say, a Tucson [Hyundai"s biggest UK seller]," says Whitehorn. "There will be no need for bespoke models eventually, but for now the Ioniq is necessary for marketing the technology. In the future you"ll be configuring your car and you"ll select the trim level, then the propulsion method, then the colour."Those 22 cars will include two hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, too. Hyundai already has one - the ix35 Fuel Cell - which has sold rather modestly, with 250 in Europe, and 13 in the UK. But it"s a matter of when" rather than if" for hydrogen-powered cars, in Whitehorn"s eyes. He forecasts 300,000 of them in Europe by 2030."My grandchildren will be driving fuel cell cars. It will be the major method of propulsion. But it"s when that is"
Date written: 10 Feb 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 2091
Hyundai had a record year in 2015, selling nearly five million cars. But it"s just the beginning of some major growth, according to UK president Tony Whitehorn."By the end of 2018, the oldest car in our range will be the Ioniq," he tells TG. The Ioniq (in white, above) is Hyundai"s new Prius rival. And it"s, um, not even been launched yet. Bold product planning, then."Between now and 2020, we"ll launch a total of 22 cars with alternative methods of propulsion," he continues, barely having taken breath. Twelve of those will be hybrids, he reveals, the Ioniq - launching later this year - the first of those. It will eventually offer a choice of electric, hybrid and plug-in drivetrains."It"s much easier to go to market with a brand new car, than put these drivetrains under, say, a Tucson [Hyundai"s biggest UK seller]," says Whitehorn. "There will be no need for bespoke models eventually, but for now the Ioniq is necessary for marketing the technology. In the future you"ll be configuring your car and you"ll select the trim level, then the propulsion method, then the colour."Those 22 cars will include two hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, too. Hyundai already has one - the ix35 Fuel Cell - which has sold rather modestly, with 250 in Europe, and 13 in the UK. But it"s a matter of when" rather than if" for hydrogen-powered cars, in Whitehorn"s eyes. He forecasts 300,000 of them in Europe by 2030."My grandchildren will be driving fuel cell cars. It will be the major method of propulsion. But it"s when that is"
Date written: 10 Feb 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 2091
