Beginning with the introduction of a hybrid Hyundai Elantra in its home market of Korea, Hyundai Motors has big plans for hybrid cars. The first hybrid that the Korean automaker will launch in the United States will be based on its mid-sized Sonata platform and will do battle with hybrid versions of the Toyota Camry, Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu, competitors it goes up against in the non-hybridized realm already. The Sonata hybrid model will be introduced at the upcoming LA Auto Show. According to Jang Seok-san, senior vice president of Hyundai export coordination, the automaker will then begin rolling out additional hybrids and plans to sell half a million units annually by 2018.

Though marketing heads at Hyundai respect the Toyota Prius and Honda's upcoming Insight, don't expect any dedicated hybrid models from the automaker, at least in the near-term. Hyundai seems to recognize that the public likes its hybrids to be different models than what's available elsewhere, but the cost associated with launching a completely new model means that it won't happen until the next set of new vehicles from Korea.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Earlier this week when Hyundai America product development VP John Krafcik revealed that the company would unveil a hybrid version of the Sonata at the LA Auto Show, some of the PR people in the room seemed to be caught by surprise. Now the Chairman of the Hyundai-Kia Auto group, Mong-Koo Chung has confirmed that and more. Over on the Kia Buzz blog, the chairman has affirmed production of a hybrid version of the Elantra in Korea in 2009 followed by a mid-size hybrid (namely the Sonata) in 2010. Mong seems to think that more environmentally-friendly cars actually make business sense judging from this comment "low-carbon, environmentally friendly cars represent a high value-added industry of the future that will promote sustainable growth." The ability to offer more efficient, less polluting vehicles are expected to actually be a selling point as fuel prices and environmental concerns increase.

Going beyond the hybrids, Hyundai and Kia intend to continue pushing forward with fuel cell technology as well. The group wants to commercialize hydrogen vehicles beyond the 66 vehicles they have running in the field today. The company plans to expand the field test fleet to 500 vehicles by 2010 and begin series production in 2012. Mong hasn't indicated where the company plans to sell these vehicles and how customers will get fuel.

[Source: Kia Buzz]