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First peek inside Hyundai's hybrid Prius fighter

There are two new vehicle rumors that the auto industry can't seem to get enough of these days: "Tesla fighters" and "Prius fighters." The former category is filled up by Porsche and Audi and more. In the ranks of those who want to take on the world's best-selling hybrid, we can add Hyundai, but this time with a potential twist. First, let's take a look at the latest spy shots of the potentially 2017 model year gas-electric hybrid, including our first look inside. This car will be based on the next-generation Elantra that is also supposed to arrive in 2017. Rumor has it that a medium-sized lithium-polymer battery pack could offer 38 electric miles before the 1.6-liter engine takes over. The new hybrid will likely have a new name and could appear at an auto show at some point in 2016. We've seen other versions of this Prius fighter disguised in different camo. If you'd like to compare the vehicles, you can do so here and here (the latter shows modified Elantra GTs). Now, what about that twist? Well, alongside the standard gas-electric vehicle, it appears that Hyundai might also be working on an all-electric version of its "Prius fighter." Wearing the "AE" moniker, the all-electric version isn't guaranteed to arrive when the gas-electric car does, and may show up later, according to Green Car Reports. This all fits with Hyundai's promise, in 2014, to introduce a new all-electric car for the US market. We won't be surprised if it has wireless charging, too.

Hyundai pulls motorsports in US, parts ways with Rhys Millen Racing

Automakers don't necessarily undertake racing programs in proportion to their size. A company like Ferrari or McLaren, for example, may be small, but their racing programs are huge. The inverse could be said of a company like Hyundai, which has grown to rank among the largest automakers in the world, but has traditionally maintained a relatively short reach when it comes to racing. And now it's getting even smaller as the company is shutting down its entire motorsport program in the United States. Not that the program was that big to begin with in the first place. Although Hyundai recently launched a factory effort in the World Rally Championship, in North America its competition activities revolved essentially around Rhys Millen Racing, the California-based outfit with which the Korean automaker has tackled Pikes Peak, Formula Drift and the Global RallyCross Series – the latter of which Millen describes as "arguably the fastest most exciting form of racing to hit the US in years." But now Millen has announced that Hyundai has withdrawn from their partnership that has stood for six years. Without support from the automaker, Rhys Millen is putting up his Hyundais for sale or rental to any privateer team interested in getting in on the RallyCross action, while the team looks for a new partner with which to move forward. As for Hyundai, it seems the automaker may have stretched its motorsport budget a little thin with the WRC effort, on which it will now apparently rely to establish its racing cred. We reached out to Hyundai for clarification on its future motorsport plans in America, but representatives weren't immediately available for comment. We will update this story when and if we hear back.

2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets bigger, better battery pack, lower MSRP

Just yesterday, we told you how Hyundai's 2013 Sonata Hybrid was late out of the gate (along with its mechanical twin, the Kia Optima Hybrid), with growing speculation suggesting that the company was revisiting its gas-electric sedan with an eye toward improving its efficiency.
Well, today Hyundai has released official details, and that's exactly what's happened. Sporting a larger starter generator, a higher output electric motor and a more potent 47 kW lithium polymer battery, the 2013 Sonata hybrid is more efficient than before. The revised hardware helps the sedan jump two miles per gallon combined over its 2012 predecessor. That pushes the 2013 Sonata Hybrid to 36 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 38 mpg combined. Engineers also tweaked the machine's software, with revised driving pattern detection and engine on/off logic.