Hyundai undertakes broad marketing plan for new hybrid cars

Hyundai aims to take an aggressive marketing stance with its new hybrid cars, in an aim to become a major player in the eco-car segment. The recent major worldwide expansion strategy that the company undertook, building 11 plants in seven countries, gave the company access to automotive parts when most automakers were dealing with parts shortages post-the Magnitude 9 earthquake in Japan. A new Sonata Hybrid will debut in the U.S. at the end of April. The Sonata features a full parallel hybrid drive system and travels 21 km per liter of gasoline. Hyundai’s earlier foray into the hybrid market failed due to the unusual liquefied natural gas powered engine. Hyundai is now the fifth biggest automaker in the world and is ready to take on its competitors in the green car market. The Sonata will also be introduced as a plug-in hybrid in 2013. This hybrid will allow consumers to recharge their cars at home, which is different from conventional gasoline electric hybrid cars which can only be recharged when the driver applies the brakes. (April 4, 7, 2011)