Hyundai, Kia expect to meet U.S. fuel goals ahead of schedule

SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp.
were expected to meet new U.S. fuel economy standards by the end of 2015,
according to a company document seen on Thursday.
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama announced this week tougher
rules that require passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. to raise fuel economy
standards to some 35.5 miles per gallon (about 15 km per liter) from 2016 from
the current 27.5 miles, in order to cut carbon emissions and reduce gasoline
consumption.
The U.S. is the largest overseas market for Hyundai and Kia, which form the
world's sixth-largest automaker.
According to the internal document, Hyundai and Kia plan to increase average fuel
economy of their passenger vehicles for U.S. exports to 30 miles per gallon in
2010, 31.5 in 2012 and 35 in 2015, compared with 28.7 in 2007.
As part of the plan to embrace new U.S. standards, Hyundai plans to introduce its
first gas-electric hybrid version of the Sonata sedan in the U.S. market next
year.
The Sonata hybrid will use the industry's first lithium polymer battery,
developed by LG Chem Ltd of South Korea, Hyundai said.
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