The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Hyundai

  • Hyundai unveils 45 EV Concept

    Hyundai has introduced an electric vehicle concept named 45 EV Concept at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt.

    The vehicle signifies a new era of Hyundai’s automotive design, focused on electrification, autonomous technologies and intelligent design.

    The dramatic exterior of 45 excites the imagination, also drawing inspiration from the vehicle that first established Hyundai’s design DNA, the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept. The car’s name also owes itself in part to the 45-degree angles at the front and rear, forming a diamond-shaped silhouette that further foreshadows the design direction of future EV models.

    The concept strips away complexity, celebrating the clean lines and minimalistic structure of the original coupe concept. Combining heritage with vision, 45 incorporates the evolution of Hyundai’s ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language.

    According to Senior Vice President and the Head of Hyundai Design Centre, SangYup Lee, the 45 clearly reveals how Hyundai heads towards the future through heritage.

    Lee said: “Through the 45 built upon our design language ‘Sensuous Sportiness’, Hyundai wants to present our vision on how we want to reshape people’s in-car lifestyle in the era of electrification and autonomous driving.”

    The 45 reinterprets the concept’s distinctive lattice radiator grille with a ‘kinetic cube lamp’ design, while a fastback profile epitomises stability and dynamism, characteristics accentuated by the vehicle’s significant width and forward-oriented posture. The daylight opening (DLO) terminates in the fast angle of the C-pillar, which generates a feeling of dynamic forward motion even when standing still.

    Innovative technology is inherent in 45’s details. At the bottom of the door, active LED lights show drivers how much longer they have before needing to recharge, even before they get in the car. Some tech features may influence forthcoming Hyundai production models, emphasising Hyundai’s open architecture for the future, and leaving room to include self-driving system applications. These include a hidden Camera Monitoring System (CMS), while self-cleaning side cameras replace traditional wing mirrors, ensuring perfect visibility at all times.

    Reimagining the in-car experience, the interior becomes a unique living space capable of transforming to accommodate a range of passenger lifestyle demands. Inspired by furniture designs, the minimalist cabin is fitted with an inviting fusion of wood, fabric and leather, creating a warm atmosphere that is both relaxing and spacious. Lounge chair-style rear seats and front seats can rotate to face other passengers, and swivel as occupants open the door for convenient entry and exit.

    The batteries in the fully electric 45 are set throughout the car’s ‘skateboard floor,’ contributing to its spacious interior. Clean lines, ergonomic placement of controls and ‘high-end electronics’ feel for the interior fixtures further enhance the feeling of space while reinforcing the simplistic modernity of 45’s design. Front-seat passengers can interact with the infotainment system via a projection-beam interface, replacing a single central touchscreen with a series of displays and functions integrated into the dashboard itself. Clever storage ideas include door mounted device pockets to hold tablets or PCs.

    The 45 embodies Hyundai’s ‘Style Set Free’ strategy for future mobility that emphasises personalisation of design and function. It was the centrepiece of Hyundai’s Frankfurt display, which showcased various future innovations in vehicle technology and integration of lifestyle applications.

  • Hyundai unveils World’s First CVVD engine

    Hyundai Motor Group has developed the world’s first Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology to feature in future Hyundai vehicles.

    The innovation was revealed at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang last Wednesday alongside the Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi the first engine to feature the technology.

    CVVD optimises both engine performance and fuel efficiency while also being eco-friendly. The valve control technology regulates the duration of valve opening and closing according to driving conditions, achieving a four per cent boost in performance and a five per cent improvement in fuel efficiency. Furthermore, the technology cuts emissions by 12 per cent.

    “The development of the CVVD technology is an opportunity for Hyundai Motor Group to take the lead in powertrain innovation,” said Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research and Development Division at Hyundai Motor Group.

    “We will continue our innovation efforts to bring forth paradigm shifts and ensure sustainability of our business model,” Biermann added.

    Until now, an internal combustion engine’s performance and efficiency have been governed by variable valve control technology that adjusts the timing of valve opening and closing and depth of the valve’s opening, with engine power produced through the fuel intake-compression-expansion-exhaustion cycle.

    Typical variable valve control technologies manage the timing of the valve’s opening and closing (as in Continuously Variable Valve Timing – CVVT) or control the volume of air admitted by adjusting the depth of the opening (Continuously Variable Valve Lift – CVVL). Previous variable valve control technologies could not regulate valve duration, as the valve’s closing timing was subordinate to opening timing and could not respond to diverse driving situations. CVVD takes the technology in a new direction by adjusting how long a valve is open.

  • Hyundai to introduce Smartphone key

    Hyundai is to introduce new ‘digital key’ technology on future models, allowing drivers to unlock and start their car via a smartphone. Selected new cars will start offering the technology during this year.

    Users will download the digital key as an app, with each car allowing up to four authorised devices.

    The system uses highly secure near field communication (NFC) technology, with antennas fitted in the front door handles and in a wireless charging pad inside the car. Users unlock the car by bringing an authorised smartphone close to the door, then start the car by placing it on the charging pad and pressing a start/stop button.

    The vehicle will also recognises each user’s preferred settings, such as position of mirrors, seats and the steering wheel, as well as controls for the audio, video and navigation systems, and the head-up display.

    Hyundai’s Head of Operations for the Middle East and Africa Mike Song said: “This is a practical application of Hyundai’s connected vehicle technology to create new, genuinely useful functions. Not only will people be able to use their smartphone in place of a key, but they will also be able to authorise other drivers simply by sharing the app, without having to keep track of multiple sets of car keys.”

    When sharing the car, a Hyundai owner will be able to limit the functions available for each digital key. This could include placing a time-limit for when the key will expire or setting an alert to warn the owner if the car is being driven too fast or is outside a designated area.

    “The Digital Key will benefit a very wide range of future Hyundai customers, as well as enabling innovative new schemes for vehicle sharing,” said Ho Yoo, Group Leader of Hyundai Motor Group’s Electronics Development Group.

    “We are studying other ways to harness this type of connected-car technology to greatly enhance the driving and ownership experience,” Yoo added.

    Hyundai has also outlined plans to be the first car company to introduce smart fingerprint technology that allows drivers to unlock and start the car. Announced late in 2018, fingerprint technology will be introduced for selected markets on the New-generation Santa Fe to be launched during the first quarter of the year.

  • Kia, Hyundai recall 500,000 cars

    Hyundai and Kia have added more than a half-million vehicles to string of recalls in United States for engine failures and fires.

    Three recalls released last Thursday by the government add new problems and vehicles to the Korean automakers’ list of safety woes, which have brought hundreds of complaints about fires from across the nation.

    The companies have now recalled nearly 2.4 million vehicles for fire and engine failure problems since September of 2015, and they are under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for potentially being slow to fix faulty vehicles.

    In addition, the companies are doing a “product improvement campaign” covering another 3.7 million vehicles to install software that will alert drivers of possible engine failures and send the cars into a reduced-speed “limp” mode if problems are detected.

    The largest of three recalls posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website on Thursday covers nearly 379,000 Kia Soul small Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) from 2012 through 2016 with 1.6-liter engines.

    Documents show that high exhaust gas temperatures can damage the catalytic converters, which control pollution. That can cause abnormal combustion and damage pistons and connecting rods. A failed connecting rod can pierce the engine block and cause oil leaks that can cause fires.

    In addition, Hyundai and Kia are recalling 152,000 Tuscon SUVs from 2011 to 2013 and Sportage SUVs from 2011 and 2012 to fix an engine oil pan leak that also can cause fires.

    Documents show that Kia had been investigating fires in Souls after the non-profit Center for Auto Safety petitioned the government to look into the fires last year. In November, the automaker couldn’t find any safety problem trends but it kept monitoring repair data and found the problem with the catalytic converters.

    All Souls with 1.6-liter engines made from July 8, 2011 through August 11, 2016 are being recalled. Dealers will replace a computer that prevents the catalytic converter from overheating. They will also replace the catalytic converter and the engine if they have been damaged. Letters will be mailed to owners starting April 12.

    Hyundai, which is affiliated with Kia, also has models with 1.6-liter engines. But spokesman Jim Trainor said they are different from the Soul with different control software. Kia spokesman James Bell said he would check into the other models.

    In the Tuscon and Sportage recall, the fix for the oil pan problem is still being developed. Hyundai owners will be notified starting March 29, while Kia owners will get letters starting April 10.

    In a letter to the U.S legislators mailed Wednesday, the Centre for Auto Safety asked for congressional action to hold Hyundai and Kia responsible for failing to repair millions of fire-prone vehicles. The centre said the government has more than 300 Hyundai-Kia fire complaints, which is high compared with similar vehicles, adding: “The better-late-than-never recall of Kia Souls hopefully will remedy this fire-causing defect,” said Jason Levine, executive director of the centre. Yet one has to wonder why Kia’s initial reaction was to deny the validity of our petition, particularly as there were dozens of reports of fires involving these vehicles all the way back to last summer.”

    Levine said Kia denied fire problems with the Soul and he questioned why the company is resisting recalls of other vehicles that are prone to fires.

    In one recall document, NHTSA wrote that it had scheduled a meeting with Hyundai to discuss the fire and engine failure investigation, but the meeting had to be cancelled due to the partial government shutdown. The documents don’t say whether it has taken place since the 35-day shutdown ended.

    A NHTSA spokeswoman said the agency has communicated with both automakers since the government reopened. Documents in the latest round of recalls don’t mention whether there have been any fires or injuries.

    In January, Kia said it had six reports of fires among vehicles being recalled for possible fuel leaks, while Hyundai said it had no fire reports. Neither company had any reports of injuries.

    Levine has said fire complaints to NHTSA have come from across the country, including a death in Ohio in April of 2017.

  • Hyundai introduces world’s first multi-collision airbag system

    Hyundai Motor Group has announced the development and future commercialisation of the world’s first multi-collision airbag system that significantly improves airbag performance in multi-collision accidents. Multi-collision accidents are those in which the primary impact is followed by collisions with secondary objects, such as trees, electrical posts or other vehicles, which occurs in three out of every 10 accidents.

    Current airbag systems do not offer secondary protection when the initial impact is insufficient to cause them to deploy. However, the multi-collision airbag system allows airbags to deploy effectively upon a secondary impact by calibrating the status of the vehicle and the occupants.

    Hyundai’s new technology detects occupant position in the cabin following an initial collision. When occupants are forced into unusual positions, the effectiveness of existing safety technology may be compromised. Multi-collision airbag systems are designed to deploy even faster when initial safety systems may not be effective, providing additional safety when drivers and passengers are most vulnerable. By recalibrating the collision intensity required for deployment, the airbag system responds more promptly during the secondary impact, thereby improving the safety of multi-collision vehicle occupants.

    Head of Chassis Technology Center at Hyundai Motor Group Taesoo Chi, said “by improving airbag performance in multi-collision scenarios, we expect to significantly improve the safety of our drivers and passengers. We will continue our research on more diverse crash situations as part of our commitment to producing even safer vehicles that protect occupants and prevent injuries.”

    Hyundai Motor Group will implement the system in new Hyundai vehicles in the future.

  • Hyundai recalls Sonatas and Santa Fe SUVs

    Hyundai is recalling approximately 100,000 model year 2011-2014 Sonatas and model year 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.

    The company will inspect and confirm proper reinstallation of the fuel tube to the high-pressure fuel pump of vehicles whose engines were replaced under two previous recalls.

    In addition, Hyundai has developed a new engine monitoring technology called a knock sensor detection system that uses software innovations to continuously monitor for symptoms that may precede an engine failure

    This technology will be installed through a free software update performed by Hyundai dealers to approximately 2 million Hyundai vehicles, including all model year 2011-2018 Sonatas and 2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles with engines produced in the U.S.

  • Hyundai offers free service

    Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited (HMNL) is offering free routine service check-up and maintenance for Hyundai vehicles at its service outlets nationwide.

    The vehicle repairs scheme, which has as theme ‘’Before Service Free Check-up Camp’’ begins today. It will end on January 20.

    Announcing the incentive in Lagos, HMNL Service Manager Srinivas Jayaram said the free service module, which will offer a comprehensive 25-point check-up spots, include a thorough examination of the engine, brakes, suspension and air-conditional system, among others.

    He said the dealership understands the needs of Hyundai customers, pledging: “We won’t relent until we have made ownership of Hyundai vehicles a remarkable experience.”

    The objective of the campaign, according to him, is to provide the best of products and services while also availing customers’ an unprecedented value-added experience.

    A maintenance exercise, ‘’Before Service Free Check-up Camp’’ is an initiative of Hyundai Motors Nigeria, targeted at helping customers to rediscover the value of their cars and appreciate the commitment of Stallion Hyundai Motors Nigeria dealership to the brand.

    Also as part of the campaign, customers would be trained on basic ways to maintain their vehicles to avoid needless downtime and breakdowns.

    The exercise will include routine vehicle inspection, tips on managing emergency situations as well as safe driving tips.

  • Hyundai showcases Tucson new model

    Hyundai Tucson has returned for the 2019 model year with the “finest Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) ideals ever in the practical SUV segment,” incorporating superb mix of interior refinement, ride comfort, astonishing reliability, fuel economy and advanced safety features.

    Recently remodelled with gorgeous niceties, the Tucson is Hyundai’s icing on the cake, and could prompt a gawk, among competitive SUV marques.

    Notable contenders in the practical SUV market slice are the Honda CRV, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, Jeep Cherokee and Chevrolet Equinox.

    Hyundai, however, claims its new Tucson offers more equipment with attractive trim levels, each delivering unprecedented apparatus for their respective points.

    The SE trim level for instance (the only available model in Nigeria) is equipped with 164hp (Horsepower), two-litre four cylinder engine with a front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission.

    Tucson’s swanky dimension also offers more three inches length; 1.1-inch width and 1.2-inch-longer-wheelbase to reaffirm the vehicle’s practicality.

    The result, of course, is a spacious and refined interior; passenger-friendly cabin especially for the rear occupants and a 60/40 split rear seat, providing ample thigh support and plenty of legroom even for a six-footer up front.

    Tucson’s cargo area has also been widened for easier loading and offloading with added bonus on the floor (that can be lowered by two inches) to accommodate more shipment.

    Couple with these significant improvements is Tucson’s steering and suspension, providing a robust suspension component, upgraded dampers and new hydraulic-type bump stops.

    Drivers of the new Tucson would, no doubt, appreciate Hyundai’s Flex Steer System available on the model for the first time and a remarkably distinctive Standard Drive Mode Select System that alters steering effort, transmission shift programming and throttle response in variance with the three settings – Normal, Eco and Sport.

    These driving modes allow the driver to vary the level of steering support and feedback to best suit the environment – a feature only typical on luxury cars, but Tucson has become the only vehicle in the practical SUV segment to offer it.

    When the all-wheel drive is engaged, an Active Control System not only sends power reward while turning, but applies the inside rear brakes to reduce the vehicle’s tendency to push wide through turns.

    Other additions include a bi-function projection type headlight and LED positioning lamps for improved visibility along with LED rear lamps and newly designed 7.0J x 18″ Alloy wheels and a full-size spare tyre.

    The Tucson’s interior also benefited from a number of enhancements, conveniently seating five with an attractive cabin and spacious seating rows.

    The front seats, for instance, are supple and offer generous support for longer trips. There’s also ample head and legroom at the rear for two adults to fit comfortably.

    Fabric upholstery is standard while leather, heated, and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, which are also available are optional.

    It is hard to fault the Tucson’s cabin from a functional standpoint. The interior is well-insulated and remains quiet on the highway.

    There are however ample storage bins up front, and the center armrest bin and smartphone holder are usefully large.

    Hyundai continues to design and place its controls very well. The five-inch touchscreen audio interface and layout for instance is refreshingly attractive, with easily pressed virtual buttons, sharing space with song data from the radio or media player.

    There is also a standard rearview camera on all trims with rear cross-traffic alerts that makes navigation a snap thus removing guesswork out of backing into a tight spot.

     

  • Globe Motors rolls out Hyundai, Higer vehicles

    A Lagos-based auto dealers Globe Motors has started the production of Hyundai Cooling Van and Higer brands of vehicles at its Lekki, Lagos Assembly Plant.

    The plant has an installed capacity of 6,000 vehicles yearly, which the company said would be increased.

    Globe Motors is among the 30  auto manufacturers accredited by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), under the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).

    The company about three years ago announced plans to set up a multi-auto assembly plant worth $200 million.

    Globe Motors Managing Director Victor Oguamalam said production begun at the plant since last year, though the firm is yet to hit its expected capacity. “We have an annual installed capacity of 6,000 vehicles at the plant, but daily production is subject to market and other forces,” he said.

    He said the firm has enough personnel in the plant.

    The company, he said, is operating at Semi-Knock Down (SKD) level and plans to move to Complete Knock Down (CKD) stage soon.

    Oguamalam said the company has qualified staff manning the plant, while Hyundai and Higer experts from Korea and China  give backup.

    He said: “Before we started assembling, engineers from Hyundai Corporation came and set up the plant, trained our staff for months and we took it up from there. They came in two batches, made up of group of engineers who installed the equipment and set up the assembly lines and the marketing department who took our staff on the marketing aspects of the business. Even the engineers who came to put us through were amazed at the competence of our staff. They confessed that technical staff in Nigeria are knowledgeable and pick faster than in other countries where they tried to set up plants. Most of our workers were drawn from existing auto garages and Globe Motors workshop across the country. You know Globe Motors is reputed for its competence in automobile maintenance and we are replicating this in our assembly plants. For over 30 years, we have been in the business of automobile so we are not new in this line of business.”

    The Plant Manager, Mr. Simon Njere, said the plant compares with the best in the country.

    “We are well-equipped with modern facilities for checking the quality of products we are producing here and our equipment are procured from Korea. There are diagnostic equipment, speed tester, wheel balancing machines, among others, to ensure that they conform to international standards of Hyundai and Higer brands,” Njere said.

  • Hyundai hands over 530 vehicles to World Cup

    The four-yearly vehicle handover ahead of the World Cup finals is thus a familiar event, with two weeks before the first game, the ceremony for this year has just taken place.

    A total of 530 Hyundai-branded vehicles will be used by World Cup players, match officials and VIPs. The bulk of them will be Santa Fes and Tucsons, while the H1 Starex minibus will also shuttle people between locations.

    There’s also a fleet of national team buses, each wrapped in bespoke slogans – selected via an international competition that saw 160,000 submissions from global footie fans.

    About 3.45 million fans then voted to pick the 32 winning slogan liveries – and the designer of each is now looking forward to watching their national team’s match live, and actually ride on the team bus they helped design during the match day convoy.

    “Transport is an important logistical element at an event of this scale” said Hyundai Motor’s marketing vice president Minsoo Kim.

    “As the FIFA World Cup’s official automotive partner sponsor, we are committed to assisting the event organisers with running a streamlined event, just as we are committed to caring for our customers by ensuring special and rewarding Hyundai ownership experiences the world over,” Kim added.

    FIFA Director of Marketing Jean-Francois Pathy said the gathering of Hyundais was “a quality fleet. These vehicles will ensure a smooth operation of the event… both FIFA and Hyundai Motor share a passion for football and we are ready to deliver the excitement of the beautiful game to fans around the world”.