After successfully strengthening its future mobility strategy last year, Hyundai Motor will ramp up its electrification activities in 2021. The company aims to achieve both quantitative and qualitative growth in Europe. The Korean carmaker plans on growing its sales volume as well as increasing the value its products bring to its customers.
A key element will be the launch of IONIQ 5, the first model built on Hyundai’s dedicated E-GMP electric platform, as well as introducing several new measures focused on customer-centricity.
Michael Cole, president and CEO Hyundai Motor Europe, said: “Last year was exceptionally important in our transition to future mobility. We made the investment to electrify nearly our entire fleet. This year, we plan to harvest the fruits of that investment by maintaining our strong market share and selling more electric vehicles than ever before.”
Hyundai’s investment in future mobility is paying off with the company selling nearly 60,000 battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles in Europe in 2020. This represented 13 percent of its European sales placing it at the forefront of the industry. Hyundai expects to maintain its position as the mainstream manufacturer with the highest proportion of zero-emission vehicles sold in 2021 and plans to increase the number of units sold every year.
Globally, Hyundai will launch more than 12 additional battery-electric models in the next four years, starting with IONIQ 5. By 2040, Hyundai plans to have fully electrified its global vehicle line-up and aims to account for 8-10 per cent of the global electric vehicle market. By 2025, the company plans to sell 560,000 battery electric cars per year worldwide to become one of the top three manufacturers of zero-emission vehicles.
This follows a widespread programme of fleet renewal and electrification. Hyundai started 2021 with one of the youngest model line-ups in Europe, with 95 percent of its fleet less than 18 months old. Last year, Hyundai introduced electrified versions for more than three-quarters of its available models in Europe. Hyundai currently offers 15 electrified models and derivatives in Europe. Of these, 11 were newly launched or enhanced in 2020, including the KONA Electric which is completely emissions-free.
The next step in the company’s electrification strategy will focus on qualitative growth. Hyundai will soon launch the all-new IONIQ 5, the first model of its new IONIQ line-up brand. The all-new IONIQ 5 is a dedicated battery-electric car which is expected to be both a brand shaper for the company and a game-changer in the industry. It will feature 800-volt high-speed charging, vehicle to load technology, and a high-tech innovative design, along with other innovations enabled by its E-GMP platform.
Beyond the numbers, Hyundai also plans to strengthen its role as a smart, responsible member of society that provides sustainable mobility solutions. It will do this by increasing its customer centricity, delivering high-quality mobility experiences and supporting charging infrastructure for electric vehicle customers.
In the upcoming years, Hyundai will further foster the development of zero-emission infrastructure, including charging points and hydrogen refuelling stations. The company’s initiative Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility has already delivered over 50 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to Switzerland. Each truck can potentially save 32 tonnes of CO2 per year as compared to a diesel truck, resulting in a significant emissions reduction. The program plans to deliver over 1,600 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to Switzerland by 2025.
With its strong commitment to eco-mobility and improving peoples’ lives, it is Hyundai’s goal to reduce emissions and transform society into an emissions-free environment, in line with its Progress for Humanity vision.
