Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, has begun receiving pre-launch orders for its Elantra liquefied petroleum injected (LPI) hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), its first hybrid vehicle for commercial sale.

Hyundai will accept pre-launch orders starting today until July 7, a day before it officially introduces the car in the Korea domestic market. The car, which is the world’s first hybrid electric vehicle to be powered by an LPI engine, was first unveiled at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show in April.

To be sold under the Avante badge in Korea, the Elantra LPI HEV will ensure eco-friendliness as well as economical operating costs and differentiated designs.

Powered by an LPI Gamma engine displacing 1.6 litres, a 15kW (105 Nm) electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Elantra LPI HEV emits just 99 g/km of CO2 and 90 per cent fewer emissions than an equivalent standard gasoline–powered Elantra to qualify as a super ultra low emission vehicle (SULEV).

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), often referred to as auto gas, is a low carbon emitting hydrocarbon fuel which burns more cleanly than gasoline or diesel and is especially free of the particulates associated with the latter.

In addition, the Elantra LPI Hybrid is a mild–type hybrid capable with a fuel economy rating of 17.8 km/litre (or gasoline equivalent of 22.2 km/litre).  This represents a 47 per cent improvement over a conventional 1.6L auto-equipped Elantra. It’s even cheaper to operate as the average price of LPG in Korea is 50 per cent less than that of gasoline.

Elantra LPI Hybrid is also the world’s first hybrid vehicle to adopt advanced Lithium Ion Polymer rechargeable batteries that have higher energy density, lower manufacturing costs, are more robust to physical damage and can also take more charge–discharge cycles before storage capacity begins to degrade than Lithium Ion Batteries.

Besides, the technology and all key components in the LPI HEV have been developed by Hyundai and its local partners including the motor, battery and low DC/DC converter. – TradeArabia News Service