Hyundai has announced last week that it will be launching a new range of electric vehicles (EV) under its Ioniq brand with the first model to be announced in 2021. According to a report by Straits Times, the South Korean car marker will be manufacturing its EVs in Singapore starting in 2022.
Citing Hyundai distributor Komoco Motors executive Chairman Teo Hock Seng, the paper reported that 30,000 electric cars will be produced at the Singapore plant annually with 6,000 units to be sold for the local market. It said that construction works for the new 28,000 square-metre factory in Singapore was delayed from May to October due to the current pandemic.
Earlier this year, it was also revealed that Hyundai is setting up a lab in Singapore that focuses on EV and future technology. The new facility in Jurong Innovation District was scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2022.
Hyundai will introduce a total of 3 Ioniq models in the next four years. The first car under the EV sub-brand is the Ioniq 5 Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) that’s based on the Hyundai 45 concept as shown below.
The 45 concept pays homage to its 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe concept that was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The concept was described as a Monocoque-style body inspired by aircraft design of the 70s. It utilises diamond-shaped silhouette at 45-degree.
After the Ioniq 5, Hyundai will unveil a Ioniq 6 electric sedan in 2022 that’s based on the Prophecy concept. This is followed by Ioniq 7 which appears to be an electric SUV sometime in 2024.
Dyson scraps EV project in Singapore
Dyson, a company known for its cordless vacuum cleaners and reengineered hair beauty products, had initially announced plans to make EV in Singapore. Unfortunately, the plan to produce fully-electric vehicles was scrapped late last year.
According to founder James Dyson, the cancellation wasn’t due to its failure to develop a functioning product but the high costs have made it not commercially available. The cancellation had costs Dyson a whopping GBP 500 million (about RM2.7 billion).
Lack of initiatives to push EV widely in Malaysia
Meanwhile, it seems that Malaysia has fallen behind its neighbours when it comes to pushing wide adoption of EV. When Geely launched its fully electric Geometry brand in Singapore, we are told that there’s a lack of initiatives to promote EV in a massive way in Malaysia.
The VP of Public Relations of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Victor Yang shared that electric cars should be subsidised one way or another. It could be a subsidy for facilities builder, battery or supply chain and OEMs, or a subsidy for the buyer.
Late last year, it was revealed that Malaysia is getting a third national car developed by DreamEdge. The yet to be named vehicle appears to be a sedan that could utilise a petrol or hybrid engine with development of the powertrain led by Daihatsu. The car is expected to make its debut in 2021 with production to begin in 2022.
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