Hyundai makes electric motors for hybrid cars

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. has developed an electric motor for hybrid electric vehicles that can result in significant fuels savings. Hyundai Heavy announced yesterday that it had completed a 10-month performance test on the electric motor. Hyundai installed the motor, which it devised in October, in a Tucson sport utility vehicle to test fuel efficiency, safety and acceleration. Hybrid electric vehicles use electric motors when starting, stopping and driving at low speeds, and automatically change their power source to gasoline engines at higher speeds, saving as much as 50 percent of the fuel that normal cars use. Hyundai Heavy has successfully developed three kinds of electric motors: two of 12 kilowatts and one of 20 kilowatts. “With the development of the electric motors, substantially Korean hybrid electric vehicles can be produced,” said a Hyundai official. So far, only Japanese companies have succeeded in commercializing such motors. He said the market for electric automobiles is expected to grow to about 13 trillion won ($11 billion) by 2010 worldwide. He added that Hyundai’s activities will enable it to better position itself in the market. Hyundai Heavy has studied electric motors for hybrid electric vehicles since 1993, and developed 120 kilowatt and 240 kilowatt induction motors last year for hybrid electric buses, trucks and fuel cell cars. Hyundai Motor Co. is planning to launch a hybrid electric model of its Verna sub-compact car in the second half of next year. by Park Sung-ha