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Krafcik says US Gov. shutdown is slowing Oct. auto sales

The government shutdown is eroding consumer confidence in the auto market, says John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai's US sales unit, and could lower October sales by as much as 10 percent, Automotive News reports. "It's that anxiety that keeps customers, potential buyers, on the sidelines when making a big purchase like an automobile," Krafcik says, adding that industry sales could be off by five to 10 percent in October compared to September.
The fourth quarter, which started October 1, usually consists of increased auto sales as dealerships clear their lots to make room for the next year's models. Leading up to the fourth quarter this year, the auto industry was doing well in the fragile, recovering US economy, although September deliveries decreased by 4.2 percent, due in part to this year's Labor Day sales being recorded for August.
To help its customers, Hyundai announced it is deferring new-car loan and lease payments for furloughed federal workers until they're called back to work and also offering them a three-month payment deferral if they buy a new Hyundai in October. "We have already had requests from over a thousand people to have their payments deferred," Krafcik says.

Hyundai planning pure electric Genesis model

The market for luxury EVs is set to grow bigger by at least one model. The latest is set to come from Genesis, the new luxury brand launched by Hyundai. The news, according to Reuters, was revealed by the brand's chief executive Manfred Fitzgerald at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea. "We will definitely go as Genesis brand down the road of alternative propulsions and it is very, very obvious that EV is definitely on the map," said Fitzgerald "I think full electric cars will be the future in the auto industry." The executive stopped short of providing further details or a timeline for the EV's eventual launch, however it's not the first alternative powertrain the brand will offer. The G80 (pictured) is set to gain a diesel version to join the existing gasoline model, aimed principally at the vital European market that Genesis' key rivals call home. The electric Genesis would join a growing field of luxury EVs. Faraday Future is taking aim at Tesla, German automakers like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche are expected to launch upscale electric vehicles – and others are likely to follow. Fitzgerald recently signed on as Senior Vice President at the Hyundai group to oversee the Genesis brand, having previously served as branding chief at Lamborghini. He is one of a number of Westerners recruited by Hyundai's vice chairman and heir apparent Chung Eui-sun, the impetus for the upscale brand's launch, alongside the likes of designer Luc Donckerwolke and performance engineer Albert Biermann. Related Video:

Hyundai needs to make the Ioniq Scooter

In the mad rush that is an auto show press conference, sometimes the coolest stuff is sometimes barely mentioned, and often overshadowed, by the bigger news. Hyundai's awesome Ioniq Scooter concept is a perfect example of this. Revealed at this year's CES, it was given just 45 seconds of talk time in a 45 minute conference. The scooter's sleek design and clever charging spot struck me as the one of the most practical and fleshed out mobility solutions on display at the show. Now I'm on a one-man mission to convince Hyundai to build it. The Ioniq Scooter is a compact, collapsible, and lightweight electric scooter that (and this is my favorite part) stows and charges in the door pocket of the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq. You can park your car, pop out the scooter and ride what's referred to in the mobility industry as the "last mile." Driving is usually the easiest part of any journey. Roads are all connected and relatively easy to navigate. Everything after that - parking, walking, etc. - often takes just as much time and effort as driving. The scooter helps solve this problem. View 6 Photos For me, the little electric scooter was the best thing in Hyundai's sci-fi filled booth. The automaker brought out two working robot exoskeletons and a car concept that is literally meant to be built into your home. There was an autonomous Ioniq giving test rides down the Las Vegas strip. Despite all of that, all I wanted to do was break the glass case holding the scooter silently ride away. In person, the Ioniq scooter appears relatively lightweight and extremely compact. It's partially constructed from carbon fiber and has a small display that shows battery life, speed, and range. You use a small knob on the handle bar to accelerate and brake. Alternatively, you can slow down by pushing a pad over the rear wheel, just like on a kick scooter. Top speed is 12 mph and the total range is about 12 miles. It's unclear if the battery can be swapped out to extend the distance before recharging. The Ioniq scoter is just a prototype, so we have no idea how much it would cost to put it into production or if Hyundai has any plans to even do so. What we do know is that a working prototype exists and that we would love to get a chance to ride it. Like our endeavor to drive a Citroen C4 Cactus, I'm on a mission to ride the Ioniq scooter. In my eyes, this scooter is the modern equivalent to a Honda Motocompo, but more practical.