Hyundai To Offer Only Zero-Emission Vehicles From 2040

Hyundai’s “clean mobility” push includes both battery EVs and fuel-cell EVs

• Hyundai intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

• Its three-pillar strategy focuses on clean mobility, new-gen transportation platforms, and clean energy in all aspects.

• The clean mobility plan includes phasing out use of fossil fuels for cars by region and selling zero-emission vehicles or ZEVs only from 2035 in Europe.

• Hyundai only offers one EV in India at the moment, the Kona, with a claimed ARAI range of 452km.

• The first mass-market Hyundai EV is slated to be launched here by 2024.

Hyundai has announced its plans to phase out powertrains that run on fossil fuels at the Munich Auto Show 2021. It seems that the Korean carmaker intends to offer only zero-emission vehicles in major markets by 2040, and that is expected to include the Indian automotive space as well.

The company has committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 with a three-pillar strategy. These pillars are clean mobility, next-gen platforms and green energy. Clean mobility focuses on zero-emission vehicles with EVs and fuel-cell EVs (FCEVs) to account for 80 percent of total fleet sales by 2040. Hyundai’s push for clean mobility varies depending on the region, with plans to sell ZEVs exclusively in Europe from 2035. 

The next-gen platforms will go beyond just cars and will include innovative mobility options like urban air mobility and autonomous vehicles. Hyundai’s latest Ioniq lineup will be based on the E-GMP which is a dedicated platform for battery-powered EVs. The Ioniq 5 was Hyundai’s debut model on this platform, with the Ioniq 6 to be revealed next. It is also investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology for more FCEVs like a new Nexo in 2023 and a large SUV after 2025.

The third pillar in Hyundai’s goal for carbon neutrality goes beyond ZEVs and aims for cleaner and greener energy solutions at the production facilities, investing into renewable energy, and looking to recover and transform end-of-life batteries.

Hyundai Motor India currently offers just one EV, the Kona, which is a premium offering. The compact SUV promises a range of over 450km but with a starting price of Rs 23.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), its cabin and feature list falls short of similarly priced combustion engine vehicles. It has shared plans to launch a mass-market EV in India by 2024 which would be taking on the likes of the Tata Nexon EV and the upcoming Mahindra XUV300 Electric. The hydrogen-powered Nexo could also be introduced to India in the near future.