Despite earlier reports, Hyundai denies it is shutting down its engine development.
As we closed out the last week of 2021, Korean outlets reported that Hyundai would cease all development on internal combustion powertrains, instead shifting all its resources toward EVs. Despite the information they presented (and several media outlets covering the topic), Hyundai states that they will indeed continue R&D efforts beyond the current “Smartstream” line, as Motor1 reports Tuesday.
Here’s what the automaker’s American arm’s Senior Group Manager Michael Stewart had to say on the matter:
“Hyundai Motor Group can confirm that it is not halting the development of its engines following recent media speculation. The Group is dedicated to providing a strong portfolio of powertrains to global customers, which includes a combination of highly efficient engines and zero emissions electric motors.”
By “global customers”, Hyundai may well curtail gasoline engines in some markets before others — especially where regulations are pushing hard toward electric vehicles, like Europe. However, the automaker did say last fall that it would not go fully electric until at least 2035 even in that market, so reports that the company would suddenly drop development into gas burners raises eyebrows, to say the least.
Most automakers currently aim to heavily electrify their lineups by the 2030s, though Hyundai is still making the clear push now, by way of their Ioniq sub-brand and their continued investment into hydrogen platforms (debunking other, earlier reports that the company stopped fuel cell development too). So, the company is still moving forward across the board, and it’s likely we still won’t see conventional internal combustion fall by the wayside for another generation or two.
H/T to Motor1 for their report.
