Hyundai, Kia to raise fuel economy of vehicles

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp., media reports said, will meet new U.S. fuel economy standards by the end of 2015. U.S. President Barack Obama had announced tougher rules requiring passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. to raise fuel economy standards to close to 15 kilometers (km) per liter by 2016 in order to cut carbon emissions and reduce gasoline consumption. The two companies are set to increase their passenger vehicles’ average fuel economy for U.S. exports to 48.28 km per liter in 2010, 50.69 km per liter in 2012 and 56.33 km per liter in 2015. Also, as part of the plan to embrace new U.S. standards, Hyundai revealed it will introduce its first gas-electric hybrid version of the Sonata sedan in the U.S. market next year. The Sonata hybrid will use the industry’s first lithium polymer battery, developed by LG Chem Ltd of South Korea, Hyundai said. (May 21, 2009)