BlueOn: first electric car from Hyundai revealed

Hyundai is presenting the BlueOn, the brands’ first Full Speed Electric Vehicle (FSEV). The BleOn marks a new era in eco-friendly technology, for the Korean make.

The presentation took place at the Blue House and counted with the presence of Korean President Lee Myung-Bak and Ministers from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Ministry of Environment. The ceremony was also attended by about 50 other government and electric-vehicle industry officials. On the occasion President Lee and Hyundai’s Vice Chairman Lee had the chance to test drive one of the new vehicles on the Blue House premises.

Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, Vice Chairman at Hyundai’s Corporate R&D Center said “We are proud to introduce the world to BlueOn, which was fully developed in Korea and displays Hyundai’s latest technological advancements. Consumers’ interests and demand for eco-friendly cars are rising and securing such advanced technology is critical in becoming an industry leader. Hyundai is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and satisfying market needs.”

With an compact body with an overall length of 3,585 mm, width of 1,595 mm and height of 1,540 mm the BlueOn is powered by a highly efficient electric motor powered by an innovative 16.4 kWh LiPoly (lithium-ion polymer) battery technology that offers numerous advantages over other battery types. The electric car delivers a maximum output of 81 hp and torque of 210 Nm. It reaches a top speed of 130 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 13.1 seconds.

Hyundai opted to use the LiPoly batteries because the produce the same amount of power than the nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH) but are 30 percent lighter and have 40 percent less volume. This boosts efficiency and leaves more interior space for passengers.

In order to secure safety and prevent overcharging Hyundai has already tested the endurance of the BlueOn through hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

Another feature of the BlueOn is the Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS), which creates an artificial sound for the safety of pedestrians, as electric vehicles make little to no sound when driving at low speeds.

Based on Hyundai’s small hatchback, i10, the BlueOn represents an investment of about 40 billion won (more than 26 billion euros) over the last year.

Hyundai will now be starting a new phase of tests, providing 30 BlueOn vehicles as test fleets to various government organizations in Korea by October. With these vehicles it will be possible to test and further develop the charging infrastructures for about two years, until August 2012.

With a range of about 140 km on a single charge, the BlueOn can be recharged in two different recharging methods: thanks to a 220V household power or a 380V industrial-strength power. Using the household the BlueOn gets fully recharged in six hours

Hyundai plans to expand its manufacturing capabilities for BlueOn next year, carrying out test productions and have about 2,500 units at the end of 2012.