Canada is getting one more plug-in electric car the form of the all-new 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid
HYUNDAI LAUNCHES NEW 2016 PLUG-IN HYBRID AND All-NEW HYBRID variants to sonata Intermediate SEDAN
Sonata Plug-in Hybrid expected to achieve up to 35 km in EV mode
Sonata Hybrid receives revised transmission, more powerful electric motor, and repositioned Lithium-Polymer battery pack to improve fuel economy and enable 60/40 split-folding rear seats
Hyundai Sonata PHEV
TORONTO Hyundai launched its first plug-in hybrid vehicle today at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is expected to travel up to 35 km on electric power and can recharge in as little as two and a half hours with a Level 2 charger. Once the maximum electric-only range has been reached, the Sonata PHEV goes on to perform just like a regular hybrid vehicle.
The company also introduced an all-new Sonata Hybrid. Sonata Hybrid continues to visually differentiate itself from other Sonata models with purposefully unique wheels and front and rear fascias that improve aerodynamics while highlighting its advanced technology and efficiency. The 2016 Sonata Hybrid is expected to deliver improved fuel economy over the previous generation Sonata Hybrid.
Sonata PHEV and Hybrid will be built at the Asan plant in South Korea and will go on-sale later this year. Prices will be announced closer to the vehicles’ on-sale date.
PLUG-IN POWERTRAIN
Although the Sonata PHEV is very technologically advanced, it will behave much like the regular Sonata Hybrid from the driver’s seat. A 9.8 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack, roughly five times larger than the Sonata Hybrid’s battery, is expected to give Sonata Plug-in Hybrid an all-electric range of up to 35 km, farther than any other intermediate PHEV sedan.
Sonata Plug-in Hybrid uses a six-speed automatic transmission with Hyundai’s Transmission-Mounted Electrical Device (TMED), a 50 kW electric motor, in place of a torque converter. This electric motor is 32 percent more powerful than the motor used the in regular Sonata Hybrid and allows EV operation at higher speeds and for greater duration. A 2.0-litre four-cylinder GDI engine is combined to the electric motor to power the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid once the battery is depleted. Sonata PHEV’s Nu engine produces 154 horsepower and 140 lb. ft. of torque and the total system output is 202 horsepower at 6,000 rpm.
Hyundai Sonata PHEV
Sonata PHEV is expected to deliver an estimated 2.5 L/100 km combined in EV mode. In charge sustaining mode, the Sonata PHEV is expected to return 6.2 L/100 km in the city, 5.5 L/100 km on the highway and 5.9 L/100 km combined. Recharge time ranges from two and a half hours at a 240V Level 2 charging station to five hours using a standard 120V outlet.
The Sonata PHEV will be available nation-wide later in 2015. Sonata PHEV buyers will be eligible for a provincial tax credit in Ontario and Quebec.
HYBRID POWERTRAIN
The heart of the 2016 Sonata Hybrid is the downsized 2.0-litre Nu GDI four-cylinder engine (replacing a 2.4-litre MPI engine) paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that houses a more powerful 38 kW electric motor and clutch where the torque converter would normally be found. Sonata Hybrid’s Transmission-Mounted Electrical Device (TMED) delivers the same responsive, engaging driving characteristics Sonata owners expect while improving fuel economy through the use of the larger electric motor.
This innovative transmission has been upgraded significantly since its introduction with the original Sonata Hybrid and now uses an electric oil pump, improving efficiency through reduced parasitic loss. Sonata Hybrid’s fully parallel Blue Drive hybrid architecture enables the vehicle to operate solely on electric power, even at highway speeds, by decoupling the gasoline engine from the rest of the drivetrain.
Sonata Hybrid’s gasoline engine produces 154 horsepower and 140 lb. ft. of torque. The electric motor produces 38 kW (51 horsepower) and 151 lb. ft. of torque. Hybrid system net power is 193 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. Sonata Hybrid is expected to achieve up to 6.0 L/100km in the city, 5.2 L/100km on the highway and have a combined rating of 5.6 L/100km.
The lithium-polymer battery pack has a capacity of 1.62 kWh, a 13 percent improvement, and it now fits under the trunk floor, which allows for a flat trunk floor as well as 60/40 split-folding rear seats. The 2016 Sonata Hybrid offers best-in-class cargo volume at 380 litres, a 10 percent increase over the previous Sonata Hybrid, thanks to the compact battery pack dimensions and efficient design.
AERODYNAMIC EXTERIOR
Sonata Hybrid and PHEV use the same functional design changes to improve their drag coefficient to a class-leading 0.24 as well as provide visual cues to distinguish the hybrid models from other Sonatas. Visual changes to the PHEV’s exterior include a charging port on the driver front fender. Both models feature a unique grille, front and rear bumpers, front fenders, front and rear lights, chrome side sill moldings, badges and new wheels from the regular gasoline-powered Sonata.
A distinctive instrument cluster provides PHEV drivers with additional information about the PHEV system’s functions. A charge indicator is located on top of the dashboard to make it easy to see the state of charge from outside the vehicle.
The Sonata Hybrid instrument cluster is a multi-purpose colour TFT LCD display that provides information about the hybrid system’s functions.
See more: http://insideevs.com/hyundai-sonata-plug-hybrid-available-throughout-canada-end-2015/