Hyundai will be shutting down its engine development centre as the brand will add focus on developing electric vehicles. A media report suggests that Hyundai will be shutting down the engine development division at its R&D centre in South Korea. In addition to this, the brand has converted its powertrain division into an Electrification Development Team.
Hyundai Battery Development Centre
This will be dedicated to the research and development of electric vehicles. The South Korean car manufacturer will also be establishing a Battery Development Centre. This will allow Hyundai to secure advanced battery technology. The new Battery Development Centre will also have battery design and battery performance development teams. Hyundai is planning to go all-electric by 2040 and the battery development centre will help the brand progress quickly.
Future Innovation
Thus the decision to shut down the ICE development centre is in-line with the brand’s plans to be fully electric by the end of the next decade. Hyundai also aims to have 30% of its total global sales come from electric vehicles. Reports suggest that the brand’s R&D chief Park Chung-kook also sent e-mails to the employees. According to the e-mail, Park Chung-kook says that even though the engine development centre is an excellent achievement for the company, the system must change to create future innovation.
Hyundai SEVEN
The South Korean manufacturer recently launched the new SEVEN sport utility electric vehicle (SUEV) concept at the AutoMobility show, LA. The brand showcased the concept car alongside the XCIENT Fuel Cell and IONIQ 5, from November 19th-28th. The SEVEN concept SUEV represents Hyundai’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. The SEVEN will be based on the versatile E-GMP platform and comes with a 350-kW charger and a driving range of about 300 miles. Hyundai will also offer environment-focused features on the SEVEN such as hygienically-recycled exterior bio-paint and use of bamboo wood, mineral plaster, bio-resin and a lot more.
Also Read: Hyundai unveils SEVEN Concept sport utility electric vehicle (SUEV)
Namyang R&D Center in South Korea