Hyundai announces Blue Drive Environmental Strategy for North America

Hyundai announces Blue Drive Environmental Strategy for North America

Hyundai Motor America has announced the launch of Blue Drive an environmental initiative which intends to bring to market a family of eco-friendly Blue Drive products and establish Hyundai as an environmental leader in the U.S. It has been claimed that with Blue Drive products and technologies, Hyundai Motor America will be able to achieve a fleet average of 6.7 litres / 100 km by 2015, five years ahead of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) deadline.

The strategy begins with Hyundai building a petrol-electric full hybrid edition of the next-generation Sonata for the North American market in 2010. Long-term, the Hyundai Blue Drive family will be expanded to include Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV).

Blue Drive hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

In 2004, Hyundai Motor America began a partnership with Chevron Corp. and UTC Power to initiate a 32-vehicle fleet testing program. This five-year cost-sharing program is sponsored by the United States Department of Energy.

In September 2005, Hyundai Motor Company celebrated opening of its Eco-Technology Research Institute in Mabuk, Korea, which houses all R&D on environmentally friendly technologies, concentrating Hyundai's efforts to develop alternative powertrains in one state-of-the-art facility.

Hyundai Motor America recently celebrated the successful completion of a 13-day, cross-country road trip that served as the first significant U.S. test for the company's proprietary fuel cell technology. The Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) on display in the Hyundai booth completed a 4,300 mile journey as part of the Hydrogen Road Tour 2008. Nine auto manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Fuel Cell Partnership, National Hydrogen Association and U.S. Department of Transportation sponsored and participated in the event.

Hyundai says that it is making good progress toward meeting its goal of putting a Hyundai Blue Drive Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle in series production as early as 2012.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/11/26/263096.html

Source: Fuel Cell Today