Hyundai Kia Motors New Cars, Accelerating from the Beginning of the Year

The Year of Electric Vehicle Leap Next Year
Genesis' First Electric SUV 'JW' in Preparation
Finalizing Ioniq 5 Production Before February Mass Production

Genesis electric concept car 'Mint' (Photo by Genesis)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Kia Motors is stepping on the accelerator to prepare new vehicles that will lead next year’s performance from the beginning of the year. Especially, with 2021 marked as the first year of the electric vehicle leap, the year opens with preparations for next-generation electric vehicles.

According to the industry on the 28th, Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan Plant 2 will begin construction for mass production of Genesis’s first electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) 'JW (project name)' from February 3 to 16 next year. Excluding the Lunar New Year holidays from February 11 to 14, the plant will actually halt operations for about 8 days during the construction. The production scale is known to be about 20,000 units.

JW is one of three next-generation electric vehicles that Hyundai Motor Group will unveil next year based on the electric vehicle-exclusive platform 'E-GMP.' Ahead of JW, final preparations are underway at Ulsan Plant 1 for the production of Hyundai Motor’s first next-generation electric vehicle model, the 'Ioniq 5.' The Ioniq 5 plans to conduct a second shutdown construction from mid-this month until March next year and enter full-scale mass production on February 15 next year. The dedicated electric vehicle 'CV (project name)' produced at Kia Motors Hwaseong Plant 3 is also in full preparation aiming for release in the first half of next year.

The Ioniq 5, JW, and CV are significant as the first models launched by each brand using dedicated platforms. These three models share the E-GMP platform, which is designed with a structure optimized exclusively for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles based on E-GMP can travel over 500 km on a single charge and feature an 800V charging system that allows charging up to 80% of battery capacity within 18 minutes using ultra-fast chargers. A 5-minute charge enables driving for 100 km.

In particular, the Genesis JW draws attention as a model that opens the era of domestic premium electric vehicles. JW is expected to adopt the family look of the Genesis brand, including quad lamps, based on the electric vehicle concept car 'Mint' that Genesis unveiled at the 2019 New York Auto Show. It is known to take the form of a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) combining the advantages of a hatchback with the size of a small SUV similar to Hyundai Motor’s Kona. If launched in the second half of the year, JW will target the still early-stage premium electric vehicle market alongside the G80 electric vehicle model.

Beyond electric vehicles, various new vehicles from Hyundai Kia Motors are preparing for launch next year. First, Kia Motors, which successfully launched the Carnival and Sorento this year, is announcing the release of the third-generation new model of the mid-to-large sedan K7 and a completely redesigned Sportage. Especially, as Kia is expected to rename the new K7 and apply a new brand emblem for the first time, all-out efforts are anticipated, drawing attention to competition with Hyundai Motor’s Grandeur, its 'sibling car.' The Sportage, which had struggled due to model aging, will also undergo a complete redesign and enter the eco-friendly SUV competition with gasoline, diesel, and hybrid lineups. The new Sportage plans to conduct line construction at Hwaseong Plant early next year and begin full-scale mass production from June. Hyundai Motor will release a successor model for the first time in 14 years since the launch of the Starex in 2007.

An industry official said, "The biggest issue in the automotive industry including Hyundai Kia Motors next year is undoubtedly electric vehicles," adding, "It will be a year to determine the competitiveness and marketability of eco-friendly vehicles among companies by adopting differentiated platforms and new technologies from existing electric vehicles."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.