With an electric-vehicle sub-brand on the way starting next year, Hyundai has given another note of assurance that its mainstream models in the U.S. won’t be overlooked in the company’s latest push to electrify its vehicles.
The company announced Wednesday that it will sell a total of 10 electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models in the U.S. by the end of 2022.
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
It’s worth running through the roadmap of what’s anticipated, and that they’re mostly versions of popular family models, not niche vehicles. The lineup of electrified models in 2022 will include hybrid versions of the Elantra Hybrid and Sonata Hybrid sedans, Santa Fe Hybrid and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid SUVs, and Tucson Hybrid and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid SUVs.
Hyundai announces Ioniq brand dedicated to EVs
In addition to the Nexo fuel-cell vehicle and the Kona Electric hatchback, there are also two other battery-electric models that were confirmed for the U.S. in August: the Ioniq 5 crossover, arriving in fall 2021, and the Ioniq 6 sedan, arriving in 2022. Both of these Ioniq models will be sold under an electric-vehicle-focused Ioniq sub-brand that hasn’t yet been detailed.
The tally did include at least one surprise: the absence of the current Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric models. Although Hyundai Motor America could confirm that they’ll still be available in 2021 for the 2022 model year, it’s unclear as of yet whether these hatchbacks will bow out for a short time before a second generation or whether they’ll finish their run entirely.
2021 Hyundai Kona Electric
Demand for Hyundai’s only long-range electric vehicle, the Kona Electric, was significantly outpacing supply, as evidenced by dealer markups of $3,000 or more last year. But it appears that Hyundai has increased availability in recent months.
Hyundai didn’t leave any hints on how dramatically it intends to scale up sales of plug-in models. Expect the ramp-up to be conservative, however; Hyundai Motor America confirmed that while hybrids will be available nationwide, plug-in models will remain focused toward California EV-mandate states.
