Hyundai takes a bold step, closes combustion engine development centre

While auto manufacturers around the world have been making verbal commitments to go all-electric in near future, South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group reportedly has taken a bold step. The automaker has ended the development of its future internal combustion engines and closed the combustion engine development centre as well, claims a report by Business Korea.

The report further claims that Hyundai has officially cut its engine development department at the auto company's Namyang Research Institute in Seoul. The report also states that Hyundai's powertrain group was reorganized into an electrification development team and a battery development group has been established as well.

Another publication The Korea Economic Daily too reports the closure. It has cited unnamed industry sources and an alleged email from Hyundai's new R&D chief Chung-Kook Park to the employees which reportedly stated that the company's own engine development is a great achievement, but now it must change the system to create future innovation based on the great asset from the past. However, despite the reports, Hyundai is yet to make any official announcement regarding this.

Hyundai and its two subsidiaries Kia and genesis have already revealed their electrification strategy for the global market. Interestingly, India plays a key role in that strategy.

For example, Hyundai India has already announced to bring in six electric cars here by 2028. It has also promised to focus on charging infrastructure development. Hyundai has announced that it will bring E-GMP architecture based electric cars to India. The upcoming Hyundai electric cars in India will be available in different body styles.

Hyundai's sibling brand Kia too has announced that it will come up with a detailed India-specific electric vehicle strategy soon in 2022. The automaker aims to bring in electric cars here to grab a sizeable chunk of the Indian EV market.