This is Hyundai’s upcoming ‘Prius-fighter’, a model that’s designed to be a dedicated hybrid with no variants with regular internal combustion engines offered.
We previously saw this being tested wearing an i30 hatchback’s body alongside other hybrid cars including the Prius and the larger Prius v, but today we have an idea of how the production body will look like.
The curve of the roof line apes the arch shape that the Prius made famous. The same goes for other hybrid models like the Chevrolet Volt and Honda Insight. There must be some market research out there somewhere that say consumers think this is how hybrid cars are supposed to look like.
Take a close look at the undercarriage and you’ll see big fat orange high-voltage cables. A little Seco sticker on the rear suspension lower arms reveal the possible codename for the vehicle – AE HEV. AE could be the traditional Hyundai-Kia two letter codename and HEV probably means Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
Hyundai’s hybrid range currently consists of the Sonata Hybrid, the Sonata Plug-In Hybrid and the Grandeur Hybrid. Both Sonatas mate a 2.0 litre direct injected four-cylinder engine to an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the 6-speed automatic transmission, but the Plug-In variant has a bigger battery and a more powerful electric motor. The Grandeur Hybrid uses a 2.4 litre system.
Since it wore an i30 hatch’s body during testing, we think the AE hybrid will most likely use the company’s C-segment platform. The hybrid system could also be built around a smaller 1.6 litre engine.
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The direction of hybrid cars will be turbocharged small displacement Atkinson cycle engine + LiOn battery in the future.
Turbocharged + Atkinson cycle = Miller cycle.
More parts means you need to spend more to repair this repair that…
Don’t forget it is a kimchi cars.
Oh Prius-Fighter so another 200k hybrid car?
Thanks MAI and cronies !!!
Because to protect the mystery no-one-seen Proton Hybrid, what to do?
When Prius was cheap, why didn’t you buy?
very scary..the sky doesn’t have color just plain black,even darker than in the space.
why must it look like a prius…
and not an xf sportbrake which is more stylo and practical
-_-“
Hey Sam, this Hyundai has no RV again right?
So any customers in your Toyota showroom today? Did u sell any crap Avanza and Innova this month?
Hi Paul Tan,
Referring to your article above:
“The curve of the roof line apes the arch shape that the Prius made famous. The same goes for other hybrid models like the Chevrolet Volt and Honda Insight. There must be some market research out there somewhere that say consumers think this is how hybrid cars are supposed to look like.”
The shape isn’t really based on market research, but is based on aerodynamics research by German aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm. Based on his studies, the shape that you described above (which is found on the prius, volt, insight) reduces the drag of the vehicle. This shape is also known as a Kamm tail or K-Tail.
Thanks and keep up the good reporting!