Hyundai to sell it’s first plug-in hybrid car by 2013

Hyundai will start selling its very first plug-in hybrid car in 2013…

During the 2008 L.A. auto show, Hyundai revealed it plans to bring a mid-size Sonata hybrid to the U.S. market by the end of 2010. The Sonata hybrid will not be based on the current generation Sonata sedan, but rather on a new underpinings that Hyundai has had under development for its next gen. Sonata.

Codenamed YF, the 2010 Sonata will first hit Hyundai dealers in Korea (in September this year), while only a few months later, it is expected to find its way to the US and Canadian Hyundai showrooms. In addition to Korean production base, Hyundai will also set up Sonatas production at its US, Alabama plant.

Already this summer, one year before Sonata hybrid debuts, Hyundai will bring its first real, mass-production hybrid car to the market. Based on Elantra sedan, the compact hybrid sedan will be the worlds first LPG powered hybrid vehicle. The Elantra hybrid will also be marked as the first hybrid ever to be equipped with Lithium Polymer batteries. Unfortunatelly, its production will be limited to Korean market only.

Now, the story in the headlines of several automotive magazines today tells that Hyundai also aims to build its first plug-in hybrid car. According to Hyundai, that is expected to happen by 2013, when the company will launch a direct competitor to Chevys Volt and Toyotas upcoming plug-in hybrid car.

The story has been revealed by Hyundais Chief Technology Officer Lee Hyun-soon who told that right now, Japan is far ahead in regards to battery technology, but the technology gap isnt so wide and he thinks Hyundai can catch the Japanese automakers by 2013.