2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Canada gets Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell, Washington governor favors EVs

Washington Governor Jay Inslee wants extend tax breaks for EVs past the July 1 expiration date. He also calls for looking into allowing EVs use of carpool lanes and creating charging infrastructure. Inslee sees encouraging electric driving as a way to help mitigate climate change, but detractors within the state don't like the idea of giving priorities to certain drivers. "I'm not enthusiastic about a subsidy that picks winners and losers and doesn't help the middle class," says representative Reuven Carlyle. Read more at The State. Novozymes says it has an enzyme solution, called Eversa, that can make biodiesel from waste oils. The technology converts the vegetable oils used by the food industry into usable fuel. The enzymatic process is said to be cheaper and safer than chemical processes with fewer harmful byproducts, and can handle higher levels of free fatty acids. The process is safer than others, says Novozymes' Frederik Mejlby, due to the lack of required high temperature and pressure, and that the "organic nature and mild process conditions do not generate toxic components as in some chemical biodiesel processes." Read more in the press release below. The USDA has announced funding of advanced biofuels and the bioeconomy. The USDA is providing $5.6 million in grants to advanced biofuel producers, as well as an additional $4 million toward a bioeconomy to reduce dependence on foreign oil. The funds come from the USDA's Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, which is part of the 2008 Farm Bill. The biofuel sources targeted are, in particular, crop residue, animal, food and yard waste, vegetable oil and animal fat. Read more in the press release below. Hyundai will be offering the Tucson Fuel Cell for lease in Canada. Beginning in early 2015, the hydrogen vehicle will be available to customers in Vancouver, British Columbia. It's the first hydrogen vehicle from a major automaker in the country. "We are proud to be leading the fuel cell movement," says Hyundai Auto Canada President and CEO Don Romano, "and now is the time for auto companies, governments, and citizens to join us in this initiative and push for the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure in Canada to maintain this positive momentum." Read more in the press release below. New enzyme technology converts waste oils into biodiesel Novozymes' latest offering secures flexible feedstock selection and lower operational costs for biodiesel producers.

2018 Hyundai Sonata lineup gets ‘+’ treatment at no extra charge

Hyundai is looking to jump-start sales of its struggling 2018 Sonata midsize sedan by introducing new "+" editions on several trim levels, adding features like the silver mesh grille cribbed from the Sport 2.0T, panoramic sunroof and safety technology for no extra charge — or for even lower prices, in some cases. The mid-model year enhancement package broadens availability of Hyundai's Advanced Driver Assist Systems, the Sport front fascia and mesh grille and other interior amenities. For example, the Sonata SEL+ and Sport+ editions now come equipped with the Sport's front fascia upgrades, dual automatic temperature control, wireless phone charging, heated steering wheel and other features at no extra charge, representing $580 and $950 in value to the respective models. Adding the Tech Package to the SEL+ gets you automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, smart cruise control with stop-start and other features for $25,185, including destination charge, a $980 value improvement, Hyundai says. Buyers can add the Tech Package to the Limited model for no extra charge over the previous model. On the high-end Sonata Limited model, adding the Ultimate+ package drops the price of the previous Ultimate package by $600 while adding the Sport mesh grille and fascia combo, plus the panoramic sunroof. The Korean automaker redesigned the Sonata for 2018 with a new "cascading grille" borrowed from the Elantra and other changes to the front, a redesigned back, some handling upgrades and a redesigned interior. But it hasn't helped move the metal. Sales of the Sonata fell a whopping 41 percent in April to 9,616; year-to-date, they were down 38 percent to 33,441 units. The company saw its combined Hyundai and Genesis sales decline by 11 percent in April. The "+" packages are available at dealerships now. Related Video: Image Credit: Hyundai Auto News Marketing/Advertising Hyundai Sedan sales package trim

2015 Hyundai Genesis

It's not easy to drive a prototype-level version of the upcoming, second-generation Hyundai Genesis sedan.
Three hours in airports; fourteen hours in a plane; two hours riding in a car from a Iuncheon to my hotel in the now-famous Gangnam district of downtown Seoul; another two hours-plus on a bus from Seoul out to the Hyundai nerve center in Namyang. And that's just the travel.
Finally settled into a massive presentation room deep in the heart of the Namyang R&D center, freshly denuded of all of my camera gear and fortified with abundant coffee and green tea cookies, I still faced hours of product presentation; question and answer sessions with a large team of engineers, designers and executives; an official unveiling under the soaring dome of the Design Hall; a strolling lunch and more coffee. And then, finally, a shuttle ride to the proving grounds around which the whole facility hums with enterprise for an all-too-brief stint behind the wheel of a car that, by this point, I'm basically slavering to get my hands on.