Hyundai will begin assembly of its i10 minicar EV by the end of 2010. The company, South Korea's largest automaker, will introduce the i10 as their first, mass produced, fully electric vehicle sometime in late 2010 or early 2011.
The i10 will utilize components made by Hyundai's India factory. The components will be assembled into finished vehicles in South Korea at Hyundai's only current i10 production facility.
According to Arvind Saxena, director of Hyundai Motor India, the i10 will initially be offered to government fleets, though the specifics of the program were not discussed. There is little chance that the i10 EV will be offered for sale in India as there is currently no infrastructure to support the use of EVs in the country.
Furthermore, it's unlikely that this vehicle will make it here to the states, but other upcoming EVs from Hyundai could.
Here's a rundown on the i10 EV. The The Hyundai i10 EV will be powered by a 16 kWh LG lithium-ion battery feeding a 49 kWh/65 hp electric motor. The minicar's range is expected to be around 100 miles with a top speed of around 80 mph. The Hyundai i10 EV can handle two charging cycles: the standard 220 V available in most foreign countries and an industrial 415 V current. Through a 220 volt outlet, the i10 can charge in 5 hours, with the 415 volt setup, it can charge to 80% capacity in just 15 minutes.
This interesting little EV will likely be successful in urban setting, though its highway capable top speed suggests that it's use may be extended beyond fleet sales at a later point.
Source: Detroit Free Press Print Edition
