The lighter batteries, Hyundai deals with that issue by using lightweight lithium polymer batteries. Lithium Polymer Batteries and Lighter Weight Hybrid critics have complained that the need to tote heavy batteries means one step forward and two steps back. The hatchback Toyota Prius, with its combined 50-mpg rating, is still way ahead of the pack on both highway and city efficiency numbers but shoppers are more likely to put the Sonata Hybrid in the larger mid-size sedan (with trunk) category along with the Camry and Fusion. The approach also results in a total combined output of the engine and motor of 209 horsepower beating out the Camry Hybrid (187 hp) and the Ford Fusion Hybrid (191 hp).
We think this is a better balanced approach for the majority of car buyers. The full hybrid architecture allows the vehicle to operate on an electric motor only, a gasoline internal combustion engine only, or a combination of the two depending on driving conditions and driver demands. Hyundai Sonata “Unlike traditional [power-split] hybrids that trade off highway fuel economy for higher city ratings, the Sonata Hybrid delivers best-in-class highway fuel economy, while still delivering about a 40 percent improvement in city fuel economy compared to a Sonata equipped with the Theta II GDI engine, said Krafcik. It means that Hyundai is trying to address the common complaint that hybrids provide great mileage for city driving conditions, but not so much for highway driving. What’s the difference? Instead Hyundai is using its new six-speed automatic transmission with an electric motor that takes the place of the torque converter.
Unlike hybrid systems from Ford and Toyota, the Hyundai system does not use a continuously variable transmission with integrated electric motors and generators.
We think this is a better balanced approach for the majority of car buyers. The full hybrid architecture allows the vehicle to operate on an electric motor only, a gasoline internal combustion engine only, or a combination of the two depending on driving conditions and driver demands. Hyundai Sonata “Unlike traditional [power-split] hybrids that trade off highway fuel economy for higher city ratings, the Sonata Hybrid delivers best-in-class highway fuel economy, while still delivering about a 40 percent improvement in city fuel economy compared to a Sonata equipped with the Theta II GDI engine, said Krafcik. It means that Hyundai is trying to address the common complaint that hybrids provide great mileage for city driving conditions, but not so much for highway driving. What’s the difference? Instead Hyundai is using its new six-speed automatic transmission with an electric motor that takes the place of the torque converter.
Unlike hybrid systems from Ford and Toyota, the Hyundai system does not use a continuously variable transmission with integrated electric motors and generators.