Hyundai is committed to a completely electric future with a strong decision. South Korean car manufacturer has closed its internal combustion engine research and development division and has indefinitely suspended the Genesis hydrogen fuel cell project, as published The Korea Economic Daily Y Chosun Ilbo respectively.
The automotive company, which is the largest in South Korea and well-known worldwide, further consolidates its electrification strategy in line with the general trend in the industry, which is to abandon combustion engines in favor of electric alternatives, more respectful with the environment.
The end of a division that lasted almost four decades
Hyundai’s Engine Research and Development Center was established in South Korea in 1983 at the request of Chung Ju-yung, founder of the business group, with the aim that the company managed to manufacture its first combustion engine. At the end of the day, the division took on a very important role and worked for 38 years.
Now, industry sources tell The Korea Economic Daily, part of the 12,000 researchers from Hyundai’s former division will become part of the EV development division, to focus on all-electric solutions. A small part of them will continue to address issues related to existing combustion engines.
But the changes at the company go beyond its electric motor research center. According to industry sources consulted by Chosun Ilbo, the Hyundai group recently discontinued development of hydrogen fuel cells they were to be targeted at its premium Genesis car brand.
The decision would not have been so happy, since it would be a consequence of the company not having been able to achieve the objectives that it had set for the development of these technologies. An internal analysis revealed far-than-expected projections in the areas of production, sales, costs and infrastructure assembly.
This unexpected twist comes a few months after Genesis announced a strong “dual electrification strategy” that gave great prominence to cars with a hydrogen fuel cell. However, as the sources point out, it is a suspension of the project and not a cancellation, so that in the future it could resurface.
Via | Electrek
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