Hyundai To Sell LPG Hybrid in Korea

Hyundai has announced that it plans to manufacture the world's first LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) engine for consumer vehicles. The new engine will power the Elantra EPI HEV, scheduled to debut in the Korean market in 2009. The company is planning to release the vehicle only in Korea, but said it will export the car to countries where an LPG infrastructure is in place.

The Elantra EPI HEV is classified as a "mild hybrid" that features a 1.6L LPG engine paired with a 15 kW electric motor and a continuously variable transmission. The vehicle also incorporates another first: a Li-polymer battery, which has a better energy density, lower manufacturing costs, is more durable, withstands more charge-discharge cycles and is thought to provide additional safety over conventional Li-ion power supplies.

The LPG engine will reduce fuel costs for the vehicle by 40% over other hybrids and 50% over comparable gasoline-powered vehicles, based on current costs for LPG in that market. The company estimates that consumers will reach the breakeven point on the vehicles about two years after purchase. Another major advantage of the Elantra EPI is that it reduces carbon emissions by 90% over its gasoline-powered counterpart.

The Elantra EPI is an extension of the company's mild-hybrid line, which it brought to the Korean market in 2004. Hyundai says it plans to introduce mid-size sedan hybrids in 2010.

Source and Photo: Hyundai Motors