HybridHyundaiBlueDrive

Hyundai announced the launch of Blue Drive, an environmental
initiative which will bring to market a family of eco-friendly Blue
Drive products. With Blue Drive products and technologies,
Hyundai will be able to achieve a fleet average of 35 miles per
gallon by 2015, five years ahead of government requirements. At
the Los Angeles Auto Show, the company revealed plans for its
first U.S. market gas-electric full hybrid (to be offered in the
next-generation Sonata), introduced a sleek crossover concept
powered by a turbocharged gasoline direct injection (GDI)
engine, and announced future high-mileage editions of the
Accent and Elantra. Available material includes video from the
press conference and still images of Hyundai Blue Drive
Chassis, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle and HED-5 i-Mode unveiled
at the auto show.

Hyundai has an impressive goal. It wants to become the most fuel-efficient automaker on the planet, according to Hyundai's John Krafcik, vice president
of product development and strategic planning. The first step to hit that mark is a new line of "Blue" edition Accents and Elantras that are set to hit the
market in 2009. Think of these models as Hyundai's answer to Chevrolet's XFE lineup. The cars will not only be the lowest price versions of the Accent
and Elantra, but they will offer the highest fuel economy too, thanks to aerodynamic tweaks, a lowered suspension, taller gearing, low-rolling-resistance
tires and, of course, weight savings. Krafcik mentioned that these models would also benefit from reducing the idle speeds. "If you can take idle speeds
down from 600 rpm to 525 rpm on a V6 car, there's is a 3 to 4 percent fuel-economy bump right there." He said. Soon gasoline direct injection (GDI) will
become a part of the mix to help meet future fuel-economy targets as well. Hyundai's HED-5i concept vehicle that debuted at this year's Geneva Motor
Show was powered by a 2.0-liter 286-hp four-cylinder GDI that was said to hit more than 30 mpg highway. Hyundai has announced that it will produce a
production version of that crossover concept and that the GDI motor shown on the concept will appear in various Hyundai products in the near future. In
fact, Krafcik says, the next generation of "Blue" Hyundai vehicles will offer GDI engines and command a slight premium ($300 to $400) for the fuel
economy bump. [popularmechanics.com]