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Hyundai swims against the current with new i20 Coupe

Coupefying hatchbacks is all the rage in the European market these days. Its what Opel and Vauxhall did with the latest Astra, and what Renault did with the Mégane, and now Hyundai is preparing to follow a similar formula, only in a smaller form.
While the i30 is the model with which Hyundai competes with the aforementioned Astra and Mégane, to say nothing of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, it's the smaller i20 - recently introduced in five-door form - which the Korean automaker plans to give the coupe treatment.
Previewed in the teaser image above, the upcoming new i20 Coupe will enter a somewhat shrinking market for three-door superminis. Though the VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa are still available with three portals, their forms are otherwise no more coupe-like than their five-door counterparts. (Mini has tried a similar approach with its Coupe, and Citroën has forked the C3 five-door and DS3 three-door, but those are decidedly more upscale offerings.) Alongside the Seat Ibiza, Hyundai is one of the few mainstream automakers offering three-door superminis significantly distinguished from its five-door versions.

Hyundai Ioniq model lineup shown ahead of Geneva debut

Hyundai released information on all three versions of the Ioniq ahead of their debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. We've already taken a close look at the Toyota Prius-fighting hybrid model but now we have new information on the electric and plug-in hybrid variants. While the two hybrid models are nearly identical, the battery-electric Ioniq has an enclosed nose for better aerodynamics. The plug-in comes with an upgraded electric motor making 60 hp, compared to 43 in the hybrid. It uses the same 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, but Hyundai has to yet to divulge if the total system power in the plug-in is higher than the 139 horsepower figure for the hybrid. Using an 8.9 kWh battery, the plug-in is said to offer 31 miles of electric range. The larger, heavier Ford Fusion Energi plug-in uses as 7.6 kWh battery and is rated at 20 miles of electric range. On a loose estimate we'd guess the Ioniq plug-in will be rated around 25 miles of electric driving. As for the electric Ioniq, Hyundai is only giving us the numbers: 28 kWh battery, 118 horsepower, 103-mph top speed. Range is a quoted 155 miles, but again we're not sure what cycle that's on. The 110-hp, 30 kWh Nissan leaf manages 107 miles on the EPA sticker, so we expect similar (possibly lower) numbers from the Hyundai. We still don't know when any version of the Ioniq will go on sale in the United States, but with confirmation that the related Kia Niro is still 11 months away we don't expect the Hyundai to be in showrooms before the end of the year. View 7 Photos Green Geneva Motor Show Hyundai Electric Hybrid hyundai ioniq

Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Volt's new, improved powertrain; Inabikari wants to build Tesla Model X fighter

We knew the 2016 Chevrolet Volt's new powertrain would provide more range, but we didn't know how much. According to GM's Executive Director Larry Nitz, it is about 12 percent more, overall. "I can't think of a powertrain we've re-engineered more extensively within a five-year period than this one," he said. The battery, electric drive system and gasoline generator have all been reworked to allow for an overall driving range of up to 425 miles, with electric range speculated to reach 42 miles or more. The new Volt will also benefit from 20 percent quicker low-end acceleration, weight reductions and improvements in NVH. Read more at Hybrid Cars and at the SAE website. Hyundai's FCEV research and development boss, Dr. Sae-Hoon Kim, is optimistic about the future of hydrogen mobility in Japan. With the Tucson Fuel Cell already in production ahead of Toyota's FCV, Hyundai has a foothold in the hydrogen car scene. Kim believes that since the Fukushima disaster, Japan's attitudes toward energy make it friendly to a growing hydrogen economy. He also says that hydrogen won't be limited to Hyundai, with Kia getting all the battery EVs. "Both types are for both companies," Kim says. "For the moment, volumes are small and it is not wise to have Hyundai and Kia competing." Read more at Just Auto. The Latvian/German startup Inabikari is using crowdfunding to build an electric crossover for Europe. The Rev.01 EV hopes to compete with Tesla's upcoming Model X with a range of over 400 miles and a five-second 0-60 time. The group currently is trying to raise initial funds through an Indiegogo campaign, with hopes of more investment in the future and sales beginning in 2017. See the video below, and read more at Hybrid Cars and at the Inabikari website. Fuel economy and emissions regulations could lead to some interesting design changes to automobiles. The World Light Duty Test Procedure, set to replace the New European Driving Cycle in 2017, will push automakers to find new ways to reduce drag on their vehicles. For better aerodynamics, we could see traditional side-view mirrors replaced by cameras that display what they see on screens inside the vehicle. Another likely change will be the introduction of smaller, narrower wheels. Improving the average drag coefficient from 0.32 to 0.20 could reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 20 percent. Read more at Automotive News Europe.