Driving dynamics will help set the South Korean EVs apart from other pluggable cars being rolled out by rivals around the world, said Albert Biermann, Hyundai Motor Group’s global R&D head.
For starters, the rear-wheel layout with the main motor on the rear axle will deliver “a lot of fun,” he said. But the vehicles can also be reconfigured as all-wheel-drive by adding a front motor.
E-GMP, which features an all-new battery and motor, can cover 0 to 62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 161 mph, Hyundai said. The new vehicles can drive up to 310 miles on a full battery, which can recharge to 80 percent in 18 minutes. But Hyundai’s figures were drawn from the European testing cycle — the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, considered more generous than what will eventually be U.S. EPA-certified numbers.
Next year’s Kia model will be a “very powerful version,” Biermann said. And a high-performance EV concept is expected to be shown also in 2021. “We are working on this for quite some time and preparing for a very emotional battery-electric driving experience,” Biermann said.
Depending on the configuration, the e-GMP system can churn out up to 600 hp, he said.
Driving dynamics will be enhanced by a five-link rear suspension and what Hyundai calls the world’s first mass-produced integrated drive axle. That technology combines wheel bearings into the driveshaft for better comfort and stability.
Energy density in the new battery has been increased 10 percent to deliver better punch from lighter packaging. A new cooling block structure also makes the battery pack more compact.
