No this isn't a pie in the sky thought but with the world and its granny going zero emissions, or at least heading down that alley, Korean car maker Hyundai wasn't about to lag behind.
Having climbed up the pecking order in the automotive spectrum to be the number four car maker in absolute volume terms in the world, the South Korean brand is now doing things to forward a perspective that shows it to be not just deserving of this position but also indicating to rivals that it is not going to stop at being fourth!
One of its biggest indicators to this effect was announced today in the form of an all-electric version of its venerable i10 mini. The Hyundai i10 is made exclusively in India, both for domestic consumption and for all export markets the Korean chaebol is present in. The all new i10 Blue Drive (all of Hyundai's eco-concept vehicles sport the Blue Drive moniker) will get its public unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.
In place of the 1.1 or 1.2 litre petrol engines which power it here and overseas, this zero-emissions urban commuter will be powered by a 49kW (66.6 PS) electric motor under the hood and driving its front wheels. Providing the juice to the motor would be a 16kWh lithium-ion battery pack which promises a range of 160km on a full charge and a top whack of 130km/h. These are pretty decent figures for a car of its class and also competent enough to hold its own against its petrol-engined siblings.
Due to the switch to a fully electric powertrain, most of the other ancillaries such as the power-assisted steering gear, air con, etc would now be run off the battery. The car would have regenerative braking as well but overall with Hyundai's all new electronic controller spearheading vital functions on the vehicle, the new i10 Blue Drive seems just the right car at this point in time.
Visually, the i10 Blue Drive gets a new set of graphics and also low rolling resistance tyres to enhance both speed and range but overall it yet continues that winning look as our very own i10. Apart from not using any fossil fuels and being a zero emissions car, the cute appeal of this electrically charged mini has been enhanced manifold.
The petrol powered version of the i10 was launched in India back in 2007 and it has already attained the position of the second best-selling car in the country in recent months. But there is no news as of yet about the electric version hitting Indian streets anytime in the near future. Hyundai is saying that after its debut at Frankfurt this year, initially the i10 Electric will only see a limited production run that will start in 2010. Hyundai plans to offer it to the Korean government, state corporations, and utility companies as the country offers tax incentives for electric cars in Seoul. But seeing as to how the standard i10 is wholly assembled in Chennai itself for global export, India may not be too far behind Korea in Hyundai's plans for this little electrifier.
Meanwhile, significantly Hyundai's i10 has been the biggest beneficiary of the scrappage incentive of the British government and has achieved stupendous sales in England. If that is not all, the built-in-Chennai by Hyundai Motor India i10 has managed similar success stories all over Europe.
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