Back in August, Hyundai chief executive officer John Krafcik proclaimed that the automaker would shoot for a 50-mile-per-gallon fleet average by 2025. Hitting that mark, though not as difficult as one might expect, will not be an easy task. Getting to that magic number will require Hyundai to rethink many of its current vehicles. The automaker will focus on launching additional hybrid models, introducing the BlueOn electric vehicle, wheeling out a Prius-like gas electric and eventually debuting a plug-in hybrid.
Hyundai presented the Blue Will plug-in hybrid concept at the Seoul Motor Show back in 2009. The vehicle later made its North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show in 2010. Since then, we’ve heard little from the automaker regarding its plug-in hybrid plans, but now there’s news that it’s ever so slowly inching towards production.
PlugIn Cars spoke with Mike O’Brien, Hyundai’s vice president of product planning, at last week’s LA Auto Show. O’Brien focused on discussing vehicles like the 40-mpg rated 2011 Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, but did state that the company is “anxious to start talking” about Hyundai’s “Prius-killer” and revealed that the automaker is, “certainly looking at plug-in hybrids down the road” and will begin talking about that vehicle “in the near future.” The “near future” does not give us a real specific timeframe, but at least we know the company remains committed to its plug-in hybrid plans.
