Hyundai’s Electric Foray — Sonata Plug-In Hybrid — Arriving This Week!
Originally published on GAS2.
Photo by Nicolas Zart, CleanTechnica
The new for 2016 Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid is set to make its debut at “select dealerships” this week, according to Hyundai’s PR people.
“The 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid is the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for Hyundai and gives drivers the best of both worlds by providing the power delivery of a conventional gasoline engine for long trips or vacations with the additional benefit of environmentally-friendly all-electric range for commuting,” explains Mike O’Brien, the VP of corporate and product planning at Hyundai. “The flexibility of this alternative powertrain delivers efficient hybrid operation and eliminates any concerns for range anxiety, while providing an impressive total driving range capable of 600 miles.”
The new Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid will be available, initially, in California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont, with a starting price just a tick over $30,000. Plug-in Hyundai fans won’t pay anywhere near that, however, since the car’s 9.8 kWh lithium-polymer battery system and 50 kW electric motor qualify the Sonata PHEV for a $4,919 federal tax credit.
I haven’t driven the PHEV version of the latest Hyundai Sonata yet, so couldn’t tell you how the 99 MPGe, 202 HP car stacks up against its more conventional hybrid and “Eco” counterparts — but those are pretty good cars. Honda, Toyota … Hyundai is coming!
Source: Charged EVs.
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The article doesn’t mentions electric only range. hope its in ballpark with volt’16. Anyways a welcome change on hyundai’s lineup.
At 9.8 kwh, I think you’re looking at 20 miles or so. Possibly 30 if they’re very efficient and deplete the battery fully, but I think 20 is more likely.
These SSEV’s (super short electric vehicles) are going to create all kinds of charging congestion problems.
They basically need to be charged at every stop to run on electric. So pure EV’s are likely to effectively be ICED by these cars, except for at high speed chargers which these cars can’t access.
Another reason to hold off until 200+ mile cars come out. Insure you never need public charging except for travel.
I believe in most cases drivers of these partial electrics will probably not bother with the trouble of public charging and simply run on gasoline until they get home to conveniently charge.
Not sure what experience you are speaking from but it’s not been my experience.
A lot of the cars I’ve seen at public charging have had gas engines. I was even ICED out once by a volt and an accord.
Pissed me off as it was in a pay garage. I’d have parked on the street had I known I couldn’t charge.
Spend some time on the Volt forums. Driving electric is generally such a better one, and people like the game of seeing how long they can go without burning dinosaurs, that charge points are often hogged up by these super short range cars.