- At Hyundai’s annual CEO Investor Day in New York, the Korean automaker made several major announcements about its electrified future.
- Among them: an expansion into extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs, has been confirmed for 2027.
- The Hyundai Motor Group aims to sell 3.3 million electrified vehicles by 2030, including more than 18 hybrid models and “a comprehensive EV lineup.”
For its next act as it pushes toward a more electrified future, the Hyundai Motor Group will turn to gasoline power for some help.
At its annual CEO Investor Day event in New York today—its first outside of South Korea—the automaker will announce that its first extended-range electric vehicle, or EREV, will go on sale in 2027. This seems to track with earlier announcements that its EREV model will be built in North America and China in 2026.
An EREV is a nascent class of electrified vehicle that’s catching on quickly in China and poised to do the same in North America in the coming years. Essentially, it’s an electric vehicle platform that adds a gas engine, not to power the wheels but to act as a generator that only recharges the battery. In theory, this would allow for an EV-like driving experience—charging, instant torque, quietness and so on—with the ability to refuel as needed to eliminate range anxiety.
While it isn’t clear whether Hyundai or its luxury division, Genesis, will get an EREV, the answer could be both. But Hyundai offered a few new details about what to expect from this technology.
“Launching in 2027, Extended Range EVs (EREVs) will utilize high-performance batteries and motors
to deliver EV-like driving experiences with more than 600 miles (960km) of range through optimized
battery-engine integration,” the automaker said in a statement.
Moreover, these EREVs should need smaller batteries than Hyundai’s current EVs do; if a Hyundai Ioniq 5 is any indication, that could be a 30-to-40 kilowatt-hour battery augmented by a small gas engine.
Photo by: Genesis
“Unlike conventional EREVs, Hyundai’s approach utilizes in-house high-performance batteries, achieving full EV power performance with less than half the battery capacity, improving accessibility while maintaining exceptional range and performance, and eliminating range anxiety,” the automaker said.
The company did confirm that Genesis would add EREV powertrains to its lineup as it also branches into hybrid cars in the coming years. Like Toyota and Ford, Hyundai has seen considerable success with its hybrid lineup as more customers get curious about EVs but may be unwilling to make the full switch. “The company will expand its hybrid lineup to more than 18 models by 2030, including the introduction
of Genesis hybrid models starting from 2026,” the automaker said.
EREVs have been floated as a possible solution to the problems dogging large EV trucks and SUVs: In order to achieve big range, towing and hauling features, you need a big battery. But that extra weight penalty can make large batteries inefficient, while their overall range gets reduced when they have to put in the work. This is why EREVs are becoming a popular powertrain setup for some of China’s larger vehicles.
In the U.S., several automakers are branching into the EREV market in the coming years. Among them are the Scout Terra and Traveler, which pack a gas engine to supplement their batteries and are targeting a 500-mile range, or the recently renamed Ram 1500 REV, which now takes the place of a purely electric Ram truck.
In general, the Hyundai Motor Group has seen considerable success with its modern lineup of EVs. With class-leading range, fast-charging and eye-catching style, the electric models have served as a kind of brand reset for the Korean automaker. But even Hyundai isn’t immune to the volatile EV market. For now, it seems to be turning to electrified vehicles like hybrids and EREVs as it adjusts to a world where EV sales are less brisk than expected.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
