Hyundai enters the Extended Range car market. And challenges the Chinese and Japanese
The Korean group is preparing to land in the promising field of Range Electric Vehicles (EREV). They will be launched from 2027 and will have a range of over 960 km
4' min read
4' min read
Hyundai is betting on Range Electric Vehicles (EREV), i.e. electric cars whose batteries are recharged on board by a heat engine acting as a generator. This is one that has its roots in the recent history of the car but was then not properly developed for a variety of reasons. In recent years, however, manufacturers such as Nissan, Mazda and many Chinese groups have made a comeback, not least because it promises low overall emissions and reduced consumption. The Korean carmaker (parent company of a multinational that includes the Genesis brand and controls Kia) presented the company's medium-to-long-term vision at Investor Day in New York, the first to be held outside Korea. The vision will be based on the launch of hybrid models with EREV systems and a greater focus on digital technologies, particularly those falling within the scope of Software-Defined Vehicles.
The group is thus competing on a new front with Chinese and Japanese groups. The Extended Range models will debut in 2027 and will use high-performance batteries and motors to offer a driving experience similar to that of electric vehicles with a range of more than 600 miles (960 km) thanks to optimised integration between battery and motor, according to the Koran group.
Unlike conventional EREVs, Hyundai's approach uses high-performance batteries produced in-house, achieving the performance of a true electric vehicle with less than half the capacity of the battery, reducing costs for customers while maintaining high range and performance, thus eliminating recharging anxiety. Hyundai's battery strategy is to achieve a 30 per cent cost reduction, a 15 per cent increase in energy density and a 15 per cent reduction in recharging time.
As far as Software Defined Vehicles (SDV) are concerned, Hyundai aims to develop a hardware architecture that relies on a kind of on-board server, a macro power unit i.e. a high-performance computer connected to area modules with less complex wiring and networking and no added controllers. All managed by upgradable and hardware-independent software.
At the heart of the company's SDV strategy is Pleos, an in-vehicle operating system that allows Ota software updates, feature customisation and a flexible driving experience. With separate hardware and software, Pleos offers a flexible plug-and-play environment. Hyundai will launch Pleos Connect, its next-generation infotainment system, from the second quarter of next year. Key features include multi-window functionality, user profile-based personalisation and an in-vehicle marketplace for third-party apps, creating new service-based opportunities. Hyundai therefore chooses the proprietary operating system route and the difficult road of the in-case developed store, rather than relying on open source solutions.
