Hyundai i10 Electric introduced

The all electric Hyundai i10 will show at Frankfurt (click for bigger image)

This is a bit of a surprise from Hyundai, as they’d always said they would concentrate on hybrids until hydrogen fuel cell technology was advanced enough to make it viable in a budget car. But Hyundai are being pragmatic. There is a desire from the public for all electric cars – however misplaced that may be – and Hyundai aren’t going to be left out. So they’ve bitten the bullet and put together this all electric i10 in just a few months.

But it’s not just about keeping up with the crowd, it’s about capitalising on big tax breaks that have been introduced in the Korean market for electric cars. And Hyundai wants a piece of the action.

The Hyundai i10 Electric features a 49kw electric motor and a 16kw lithium-ion polymer battery pack which has been developed by LG. It features a fast charge system which can charge the batteries to 85% capacity in 15 minutes (but only from a 413v power source) with a full charge in five hours.

A full charge gives the i10 Electric a 100 mile range. Top speed is 80mph and 0-60 mph is a somewhat leisurely 15 seconds, But the 155lb/ft of torque should make the i10 Electric seem nippier around town than the figures suggest. And frankly, that’s the only place it will be any good.

Hyundai aren’t planning on selling the i10 Electric. They plan to start a lease only scheme late in 2010 in Korea, with full production scheduled for 2012. But the truth is they probably couldn’t sell it. The battery packs alone cost more than the current cost of an i10, and no one is going to pay more than twice as much for the electric i10.Well they might, but the market would only be tree-huggers with deep  pockets.

Not the biggest demographic in the world.

By Cars UK