New Hyundai Elantra LPI electric hybrid features improved interior

New images of Hyundai Elantra LPI hybrid electric vehicle surface to the web. The Elantra hybrid features a slightly redesigned interior.

Hyundai Motor Company has been accepting pre-launch orders for its all-new 2010 Hyundai Elantra LPI hybrid car in South Korean market since Monday. The number of pre-orders collected so far is not available to the press. Perhaps Hyundai plans to announce it during the official Elantra hybrid launching ceremony scheduled for July 8th.

Powered by Liquefied Petroleum Injected engine that runs on a Liquefied Petroleum Gas, the Elantra LPI hybrid has received some exterior and interior design updates to differentiate itself form a gasoline powered sibling.

The Elantra LPI hybrid features new modern shaped head-lights, redesigned signature grille that looks very close to the one seen on a facelifted Hyundai Accent and slightly sportier front bumper. At rear, the hybrid version of Elantra received a slightly redesigned rear bumper and new lip spoiler.

Styling updates continue in the cabin with the redesigned center stack, which now features new air-vents and large navigation LCD display. The interior design is definitely not as refined as that in Genesis sedan, but it is obvious that Hyundai designers borrowed some ideas from Hyundais luxury rear-wheel sedan.

     

Hyundai Elantra LPI electric hybrid is powered by 1.6L liquefied petroleum injected engine as well as a 15kW electric motor driving through a continuously variable transmission. The vehicle emits low 99 g/km of CO2 and 90 percent fewer emissions than an equivalent standard gasoline powered Elantra compact sedan, meaning the Elantra hybrid qualifies as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)!

A combination of fuel efficient LPI engine, Lithium Ion Polymer batteries and CVT transmission brings in a fuel economy rating of 17.8km/l (or gasoline equivalent of 22.2km/).

This represents a 47 percent improvement over a conventional 1.6L automatic transmission equipped Elantra sedan. Since average price of LPG in Korea is 50 percent lower than that of gasoline, it means the Elantra hybrid car can operate at even cheaper rates.

The Elantra hybrid premieres a highly sophisticated Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack which has higher energy density and lower manufacturing costs when compared to standard Lithium Ion batteries. Lithium Ion Polymer batteries are known to be more robust to physical damage and can also take more charge – discharge cycles before storage capacity begins to degrade.

A combination of fuel eficient LPI engine, Lithium Ion Polymer batteries and CVT transmission brings in a fuel economy rating of 17.8km/l (or gasoline equivalent of 22.2km/). This represents a 47 percent improvement over a conventional 1.6L automatic transmission equipped Elantra sedan. Since average price of LPG in Korea is 50 percent lower than that of gasoline, meaning the Elantra LPI hybrid electric car can operate at even cheaper rates.