Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia K5 Hybrid Lounch
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Kia K5 Hybrid
Hyundai Motor Group’s two carmakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. are receiving orders for their first gasoline-hybrid electric vehicles from Monday.
While the carmakers had introduced hybrid electric vehicles based on the compact cars Avante and Forte with liquefied natural gas-electric powertrain, the hybrid Sonata and K5 are their first gasoline-electric hybrids.
The two are fitted with six-speed automatic transmission developed specifically for hybrid electric vehicles.
According to the companies, the electric motor fitted in the two hybrid models is 18 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than those used in hybrid electric vehicles from rival carmakers.
The vehicles are also the world’s first hard-type electric hybrid vehicles ― hybrid electric cars that are able to operate using only electricity at low speeds ― to be fitted with a lithium ion polymer battery pack.
Hyundai Motor (HYMLY, 005380.SE) will launch the Sonata mid-size hybrid sedan and Kia Motors the K5 hybrid model both equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group starts selling the nation's first mid-sized gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles from Monday.
Based on the Hyundai Sonata hybrid and Kia K5, they are equipped with a hard-type parallel hybrid system developed by the automotive group which operates on electric power while driving at speeds of under 20 km/h.
"Compared to combined hybrid systems, the parallel system features a simpler layout but boasts much improved performance," a Hyundai-Kia spokesperson said
