Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Officially Revealed

Not much doubt about confusion in the article. Like comparing the Sonata's 40 horsepower electric motor with the Camry's 141 hp "motor." Not sure I want a conventional automatic transmission either.

Still improved gas mileage and reduced emissions are always a good thing. As well as competition to keep things moving forward.

 

ASSIST hybrids have a very limited amount of electricity available, since there's only a single motor which is integrated directly to the engine.

FULL hybrids demonstrate a significant advantage by having a second motor and a power-split-device which results in an ample amount of electricity being available in comparison.

Apples to Oranges.

Sonata is one type and Camry/Fusion/Prius is the other.
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What's the emission rating?

What happens in real-world driving with the A/C running?

What happen in heavy stop & slow driving conditions?
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I think it's interesting that so many of the "specs" are "estimated." How can you say you beat another car's specs with an "estimate?"

 

The Hyundia Sonata Hybrid (HSH) is not an assist or mild hybrid. It is a Parallel only hybrid though, which is obviously less advanced then the power-split-device (series/parallel) hybrids like the Toyota and Ford systems.

In effect the HSH is a third category if you consider Ford/Toyota/GM 2mode as full hybrids and Honda and first gen GM hybrids as assist or mild hybrids.

Since there are plenty of quality competitors in this class, price is going to matter.

 

The AC is electric like the Prius. Heavy start/stop will penalize this setup a bit but it will do great in slow driving.

There are some design advantages to the HSH. One is the direct injection engine. This is the first direct injection Atkinson cycle engine I have heard of. The other is the car is designed around a 4 cyl engine only, unlike the Camry hybrid or the Fusion hybrid.

From the article - "Weight savings extend to the whole car as well. Because Hyundai engineered the new Sonata without the possibility of installing a V6 engine it was able to reduce the mass of the structure. The curb weight of the hybrid Sonata is just 3,457 pounds, some 263 pounds less than the Fusion, which is likely to give it a performance advantage over the Ford. "

 

I do note that a big selling factor for the Prius (my reading, not the salesman) was the simplicity of the CVT which reduced my concern about the cost of battery replacement. If I wasn't quite happy with what I have, it might turn me away from HSH.

 

What about the supply question? Where will the electricity to run in come from?

In other words, how often is the battery-pack fed?

With FULL hybrids, you've got recharging taking place pretty much whenever the engine is running. How does this "parallel" approach differ from ASSIST? Since there's still only just one motor available, abilities are limited. (You cannot assist & recharge at the same time.)
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It's statements like this I take issue with...

...since we know that's not true.

It could be more efficient. After all, having more gears typically is. But the speed part is a crock. The competition can offer that same 62 MPH speed and plans to. That's what will be available from the plug-in Prius.
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I don't think the speed part is a crock, it does seem to be correct. Hyundia can provide full electric at high speeds when HP demand is low without the electrical transitions involved in the power split device. That of course does not mean its better.

It seems to be designed for the highway. It can not charge the battery and assist at the same time. The total electric power is lower then HSD provides so its city performance is going to rely more on the gas engine. To make this work better they have worked to keep the car weight down compared to the others in its class.

 

Good question. I do not see how that will work well with electric fed AC, with AC on the electric motor may have to work as a generator more often then ideal.

 

It is an assist electric AC. Sound like how it is in HCH.

 

HSH is very aerodynamic (0.25 cd) like the Prius. It is bigger outside and the ICE is bigger. Highway MPG is 39 MPG (not official yet) versus Prius 48 MPG. That's pretty good.

We don't know the compression ratio for HSH Atkinson ICE. I wonder if it would be close to Prius' 13:1 ratio.

If you compare hybrid and non-hybrid versions, the weight gain for HSH is about 250 lbs. TCH is about 360 lbs. Fusion Hybrid is 435 lbs.

 

HSH has a six speed step gears with very tall 4th, 5th and 6th. That will have delay in downshifts passing cars on the highway.

 

With the torque of the motor, it may not need to downshift to pass in most situations.

There is another motor/generator on it. The auto stop function is handled by a (very) mild system like GM's. There may be some electric generation while the traction motor is running. We didn't get much in the way of actual technical details.

 

What's going to be confusing for Hyundai customers is that they're using the term Blue Drive for high mileage non-hybrids too...