In a New Year’s message, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung outlined the company’s strategic direction and commitments for the year 2021 and beyond. Chung presented a vision for transforming the Group to a new growth engine by expanding market share in the eco-friendly market, securing future technology capabilities and strengthening business competitiveness in collaboration with all the members of the Group.

Electrification leadership. This year Hyundai Motor Group will concentrate efforts to become a global electric vehicle powerhouse by launching dedicated electric vehicles built on the E-GMP, including Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ 5, Kia’s crossover electric vehicle and Genesis luxury brand’s crossover electric vehicles.

With the launch of new vehicles based on the recently released electric vehicle platform, the E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform), we plan to provide attractive eco-friendly mobility options that aptly reflect customers’ diverse tastes and needs at more reasonable prices.

Furthermore, our hydrogen fuel cell technology, recognized as the world’s most advanced, will be expanded to diverse mobility and industrial sectors to help achieve carbon neutrality under the ‘HTWO (Hydrogen + Humanity)’ brand.

—Chairman Chung

The E-GMP offers a multi-charging system allowing both 800V and 400V charging capabilities. The system is the world’s first patented technology which operates the motor and inverter to boost 400V to 800V for a stable charging compatibility. A battery electric vehicle based on the E-GMP is capable of a maximum range of more than 500 kilometers (311 miles) with a fully charged battery (WLTP standard) and it can high-speed charge up to 80% in just 18 minutes and can add up to 100 kilometers of driving range in just five minutes.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to expand its battery electric vehicle lineup from the current eight models to 23 by 2025 and sell 1 million units annually in global markets.

It will also accelerate the building of EV infrastructure. Hyundai Motor Group will set up 20 high-speed charging stations in Korea by 2021 and will further expand its charging network in cooperation with energy companies. Overseas, the Group plans to have EV charging infrastructure optimized for market-specific environments with various partners, including IONITY, Europe’s leading high-power charging network in which the Group made a strategic investment.

Moreover, the Group will accelerate the creation of a hydrogen energy ecosystem. It will expand the supply of hydrogen fuel cell systems with the world’s best technology as power sources for ships, generators, and trains as well as global automakers. The Group recently introduced a dedicated HTWO brand for fuel cell systems as part of such efforts.

Through strategic partnerships with global companies specializing in hydrogen, energy and logistics, the Group will aim to take the lead in hydrogen-related projects. It will also focus on developing next-generation hydrogen fuel cell systems that will be applied to future eco-friendly mobility solutions such as Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

In the post-pandemic era, social values and lifestyles different from the past will prevail. And as a result, only those companies prepared for continuous transformations will survive and grow.

—Chairman Chung

Safe and innovative mobility technologies. Hyundai Motor Group will apply Level 3 autonomous driving technology to mass production models in 2022 and push for commercialization projects for autonomous driving technologies such as robotaxi services in 2023.

Motional Inc., the joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, plans to conduct Level 4 driverless tests on public roads in Nevada. In 2023, the company will work with US car-sharing provider Lyft to launch autonomous driving commercialization services in major U.S. regions.

The Group will also focus on core technologies for next-generation software such as vehicle software that closely interacts with vehicle driving assistance, precision map-linked navigation, and various connected and infotainment services to provide the best convenience and safety to customers.

The development of the UAM product lineup, which encompasses both passenger and cargo transportation markets, is also speeding up.

The Group aims to introduce Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for cargo with hybrid powertrains in 2026, and a fully electrified UAM model optimized for urban operations in 2028, and regional air mobility products connecting adjacent cities in the 2030s.

In the robotics area, the Group recently signed a deal to acquire the controlling stake in Boston Dynamics to actively respond to global mega trends of aging society and digital transformation as the Group seeks to provide humanity with a higher level of experience and more value.

Hyundai Motor Group’s wearable robot technology and its industrial and logistics automation technology are expected to maximize synergies with Boston Dynamics’ innovative capabilities. Robotics technology will also be applied to various mobility areas such as autonomous driving, UAM, and PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle) to help the Group establish a leading position.

The affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group will enhance their future business capabilities through electrification and self-driving core components and software specialization, and will explore new growth engines such as smart city development as well as renewable energy projects.