Hyundai and Kia to cut combustion engine models by half, xEV range to widen

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), the world’s third largest automaker after Toyota Motor and the Volkswagen Group, will be cutting its number of combustion engine-powered models by half, reports Reuters.

In a Reuters exclusive, the news agency says the decision was approved by the Group’s management (which includes Hyundai and Kia) in March, and is aimed at freeing up resources to speed up development of electric motors and batteries for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cells for hydrogen-fueled fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

No timelines were given by it should be between 2025 and 2030.

The report also adds that the company will still keep combustion engine-powered models for emerging markets, but will try to improve the efficiency of these engines further.

In April, Hyundai said it would cut the number of its combustion engine-powered models in China from 21 to 14 by 2025, while launching new BEV models every year starting 2022.

HMG aims to be among the top 3 biggest BEV manufacturer in the world by 2025. Other companies vying for the position are the Volkswagen Group and Tesla.

HMG is also among the top 2 biggest manufacturers for FCEVs, alongside Toyota.   

Also read: Toyota Mirai overtakes Hyundai Nexo as world's best selling fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)

Earlier this month, BMW Group too made a similar announcement, confirming that it will be slashing the number of engines offered by half by 2025. Its subsidiary MINI will launch its last combustion engine model by 2025 and by 2030, MINI will become an EV-only brand.

Also read: Half of BMW’s engines will be gone by 2025, EV variants to cover 90% of segments