Hyundai will eliminate combustion engines from most major markets by 2040.
As more and more automakers switch to electric vehicles, the internal combustion engine is in peril. Hyundai is the latest auto manufacturer to announce its ambitious plan to reach carbon neutrality. However, it’s not just about battery-powered EVs. The South Korean marque is also committed to hydrogen propulsion.
Europe will be the first to see Hyundai abandon gasoline and diesel engines. The cutoff date for ICE on the Old Continent is 2035. It’s not surprising, considering that the European Commission has already voted on a proposal, which, if passed, will ban automakers selling cars with traditional powertrains until the middle of next decade.
Today’s announcement at the IAA Munich included a mention of 2040 as the year Hyundai will be purely an electric brand in all major global markets. After reaching 30% at the end this decade, the company expects that battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles will account for 80 percent. The company’s global operations will also be powered by renewable energy in 2045.
Hyundai’s decision not to spend money or time on hydrogen tech development is intriguing. A new Nexo vehicle has been confirmed and will be available for 2023. The minivan with the same propulsion system is also expected to arrive on the market. A large fuel cell SUV is expected to be released in the second half of this decade.
The IAA Munich is showing the beautiful Prophecy concept, which will be used to announce the Ioniq 6 sedan’s arrival in 2022. The Ioniq 5 electric crossover will also be available as a robotaxi equipped with a Level 4 autonomous driver system, ahead of 2023, when a fully driverless taxi service will launch.