Hyundai Motor Group will reinforce the electrification lineup to lead the future mobility market, such as introducing a dedicated electric vehicle based on an electric vehicle platform for the new year. The company plans to improve autonomous driving technology by applying the wireless update function (OTA) to new cars, and to create a hydrogen ecosystem by introducing hydrogen electric trucks in Korea.
According to the industry on the 1st, Hyundai Motor Group is planning to introduce electric vehicles that first applied E-GMP, a platform exclusively for electric vehicles this year. As early as April,’Ioniq 5′, Kia Motors CV (project name), Genesis JW (project name), etc. are about to be released.
E-GMP, which was unveiled in December last year, can drive more than 500km by increasing the battery load, and 80% charging is possible within 18 minutes by applying an 800V charging system.
In particular, the space occupied by parts exclusively for internal combustion engines such as engines, transmissions, and fuel tanks is greatly reduced, and the floor can be made flat, thereby increasing space utilization such as flexible seat arrangement.
To expand the spread of electric vehicles, 20 super-fast charging stations (120 chargers) will be built this year. The 400V and 800V multi-fast charging system is also applied for the first time to increase the convenience of charging.
In addition to the exclusive electric car, the successor models of the Grand Starex released in 2007, the 3rd generation K7, and the 5th generation Sportage will also be released.
An official from Hyundai-Kia Motors said, “We plan to complete the 3rd and 4th lineup of high-performance brand N by introducing the new Kona N and Avante N, and launch an electric car version of the existing Genesis model, so customers’ choices will be broader.”
In relation to autonomous driving, which is one of the future business of Hyundai Motor Group, OTA is applied to new cars to be released this year so that when performance is improved or new functions are added, updates can be received over the air. It aims to enhance the parking assist function by raising camera recognition.
In addition, the goal is to enhance functions such as parking division line recognition and vacant spot detection by adding image recognition to the remote smart parking assist function first applied to Nexo in 2018. The parking collision avoidance assist function expands the recognition range to front, side and general obstacles as well as rear pedestrians.
The integrated controller that combines the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS)-related control, which is the pre-autonomous driving stage, is also further developed.
Based on this, next year, it plans to introduce a level 3 level of autonomous driving function that enables driving without the driver holding the steering wheel, and a remote valet function in 2024.
Activities to create a hydrogen ecosystem will also continue. The world’s first mass-produced hydrogen electric truck, which was exported to Switzerland, will be developed to domestic specifications in July, and will be piloted in the logistics business by next year in collaboration with CJ Logistics, Coupang, and Hyundai Glovis. Through this, the company plans to start mass production in 2023 and expand the supply of hydrogen electric vehicles to the commercial vehicle field.
The special purpose corporation’Kohien’ in partnership with the government, local governments, and the energy industry is also officially launched to build a commercial hydrogen charging infrastructure. Kohaizen plans to install 10 gas-type commercial vehicle hydrogen charging stations from next year, and to install more than 25 liquefied hydrogen-type charging stations by 2023.
The Hyundai Motor Group aims to expand the hydrogen fuel cell system business through the newly launched hydrogen fuel cell brand’HTWO’ and sell 700,000 hydrogen fuel cells by 2030.
It also focuses on urban aviation mobility (UAM) development. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Eui-seon Eui-sun appointed Shin Jae-won, head of the UAM business division, as president from executive personnel in the second half of last year to empower the UAM business.
The Hyundai Motor Group plans to introduce the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAS) system for cargo with a hybrid powertrain in 2026, and a fully electrified UAM model optimized for urban operation in 2028.
In addition, as Chairman Chung decided to acquire Boston Dynamics of the United States, which possesses world-class robot technology at the end of last year, through the first large-scale M&A (M&A) after inauguration of Chairman Chung, it is expected to enter the robot market in earnest.
Boston Dynamics recently launched a biped upright robot’Atlas’, a quadruped walking robot’Spot’, and a wheeled autonomous robot’Handle’ in line with The Contours”Two You Love Me’ through its YouTube channel. It also became a hot topic by releasing a video of dancing freely.
Reporter Park Tae-joon [email protected]