As I’ve stated on a number of of our EV Obsession YouTube reveals and in articles, Hyundai has lengthy been seen as a pacesetter within the EV trade. Not as a result of it has had essentially the most aggressive development targets, sadly, however as a result of it has constantly constructed extraordinarily environment friendly, enticing, and in style electrical automobiles. This began almost a decade in the past with the Hyundai Ioniq, however the firm has improved its sport considerably with the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6.
In truth, as we not too long ago reported, a brand new Edmunds research finds that Hyundai EVs are essentially the most environment friendly automobiles when it comes to miles charged or added per hour. Excluding totally different variants of the identical mannequin (which Edmunds makes use of to interrupt down the outcomes), Hyundai and Kia EVs have been 3 out of the highest 4 fashions! The Hyundai IONIQ 6 (significantly, the RWD model) was first, the Kia EV6 was second, the Porsche Taycan 4S was third, and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 (twin motor) was fourth. Hyundai has change into a transparent EV chief.
The information at the moment is that Hyundai’s model worth has gotten an enormous enhance not too long ago, and an enormous a part of that has been its spectacular EV chops.
“Hyundai Motor Firm at the moment introduced that its model worth reached $20.4 billion in Interbrand’s ‘Greatest World Manufacturers 2023’, ascending in valuation for 13 straight years,” the corporate writes. “This represents the third highest year-over-year valuation improve out of 100 manufacturers. The corporate’s model rank rose from 35th to 32nd — the primary improve in rank since 2016, based mostly partly on Hyundai Motor’s accelerated electrification and future mobility imaginative and prescient.” Simply to reiterate, it is a fully unbiased and broadly revered model rating.
Hyundai’s model worth in line with this evaluation was $3.5 billion in 2005, grew to $10 billion in 2014, grew one other $4 billion to $14 billion in 2020, and is now $20.4 billion in 2023. Its model worth has grown most importantly prior to now few years as Euisun Chung has been Hyundai Motor Group’s Govt Chair. The corporate is raring to level out Chung’s management and the corporate’s extra progressive imaginative and prescient since he took over. “Hyundai Motor’s accelerated success of late may be attributed, partly, to the management of the highest administration workforce led by Govt Chair Chung. They’ve performed a pivotal function in guiding the corporate’s strategic path as a Good Mobility Options Supplier in alignment with its imaginative and prescient of ‘Progress for Humanity.’ The driving power behind this transformation is the corporate’s progressive method to innovation, expertise and product improvement.” (Facet be aware: Was Chung leaning on the Hyundai PR workforce to spotlight his function on this model enhance? Maybe. However we have now no intel on that.)
“Because the automotive trade undergoes a metamorphosis, Hyundai Motor is exploring future mobility options to answer fast-changing client wants,” stated Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and World Chief Advertising and marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Firm. “We’re dedicated to a greater future for all of humanity.”
Effectively, the South Korean firm has figured a few issues out. One is that we people like when an organization says it’s doing stuff for people (not simply to make more cash). One other is that main on EVs and effectivity is a successful path ahead. However it’s not simply guesswork from Hyundai. Interbrand itself “attributed its constructive evaluation of Hyundai Motor to the corporate’s agile response to the electrification transition, its management sooner or later mobility paradigm shift, and its honest actions across the model’s imaginative and prescient of ‘Progress for Humanity,’” Hyundai summarizes.
“Hyundai Motor Firm is making large strides in forwarding its imaginative and prescient of ‘Progress for Humanity’ by the IONIQ model,” stated an Interbrand consultant. “Hyundai continues to impress with its genuine communication relating to core human values reminiscent of sustainability. We stay up for the corporate’s development within the evolving automotive trade.” Certainly.
As a lot as this may occasionally come throughout as PR fluff and manufactured gushing over Hyundai’s present plan of action, the actual fact of the matter is that Hyundai is constructing nice electrical automobiles at nice costs and has a plan to do this increasingly and extra.
Notably, Hyundai additionally simply opened the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Middle Singapore (HMGICS), and IONIQ 5 robotaxis shall be constructed there — manufacturing has already began! These robotaxis shall be a part of the Motional business companies fleet within the US beginning in 2024. The robotaxi shall be able to restricted self-driving within the US. It’s “one of many first SAE Degree 4 autonomous automobiles to be licensed beneath U.S. Federal Motor Car Security Requirements,” Hyundai stories.
“IONIQ 5 robotaxi is the world’s first fully-integrated autonomous automobile to be mass-produced on a sensible, versatile cell-based manufacturing system,” the corporate provides. This IONIQ 5 robotaxi has been in improvement for a number of years.
And, whereas HMGICS is a ridiculously lengthy acronym, it additionally appears applicable for the high-tech robotics and AI work that’s apparently going to go on there. And it’s additional proof of why the Hyundai model retains climbing up the model rating ladder.
“HMGICS has been designed to revolutionize how EVs and different types of sensible mobility options — together with robotaxi and PBVs — are delivered. Key to it is a cell-based manufacturing system that leaves behind the standard conveyor-belt manufacturing method to attain unsurpassed requirements of flexibility and automation,” Hyundai writes.
Roughly 50 % of all duties are carried out by 200 robots, with people, robotics and AI methods attaining unprecedented ranges of collaboration because of integration made doable by the digital twin platform.
Working as a digital twin Meta-Manufacturing unit, HMGICS synchronizes the digital and bodily worlds in actual time. This allows people and robots to cooperate in methods not seen earlier than. Workers can simulate duties within the digital digital house — or metaverse — whereas robots bodily transfer parts on the manufacturing line.
Robots carry out meeting, inspection, and manufacturing facility group, and maintain greater than 60 % of part course of administration, ordering and transportation. This frees people from repetitive and laborious duties to deal with extra artistic and productive duties.
So, there’s that.
“HMGICS will set up itself as certainly one of two Hyundai Motor Group innovation pillars that may lead the corporate’s future within the electrification period over the following 50 years as a part of its problem to change into a 100-year firm.” Extra particulars and quotes about HMGICS may be discovered right here.
For sure, Hyundai seems prefer it’s prepared to assist lead us into a brand new EV and robotaxi period. And I’m actually contemplating a Hyundai electrical automotive as our subsequent car. I believe the IONIQ 5 truly sits on prime of the listing total. It’s that, the Kia EV6, or the Tesla Mannequin Y, but when I used to be pressured to make the choice proper now (at 2:34 am), the IONIQ 5 would win the acquisition.