Elantra LPI hybrid makes its home debut

Hyundai Motor Company revealed it plans to bring the worlds first liquified petroleum gas (LPG) powered hybrid car to the (Korean) market. Six month afterwards, and the company has introduced the Avante (known as Elantra internationally) based hybrid sedan.

In addition to being the worlds first LPG powered hybrid car, the Hyundai Avante/Elantra LPI is also the worlds first mass produced vehicle that has adopted the advanced Lithium Polymer battery pack.

Supplied by LG Chem, Lithium polymer batteries have some significant advantages over lithium–ion batteries, including higher energy density and lower manufacturing costs. They are also smaller in size, lighter and can take more charge–discharge cycles before storage capacity begins to degrade.

The Elantra LPI hybrid electric vehicle is equipped with Hyundais 1.6 Gamma engine mated to continuously variable transmission and a 20 hp electric motor. The same hybrid powertrain will later be used in Elantras sibling model (the Forte hybrid) from Kia Motors.

Hyundai decided to build the LPG hybrid car because it offers some major advantages over gasoline powered cars. The most important one is the price of the LPG, which is about 50 percent lower than that of regular gasoline. The other one is the operational costs. The Elantra LPI hybrid will be 50 percent cheaper to operate than a conventional Elantra model powered by a gasoline–only engine!

Consumers will also have to pay way less taxes as the car emits only 103 g/km of CO2 and 90 percent fewer emissions than an equivalent standard gasoline–powered Elantra.

The Elantra LPI hybrid will go on sale in July. Hyundai did not reveal at what pric

e the hybrid will be sold, but we expect the pricing to be announced closer to the sales date.