We just wrote about the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid but the company also has something lined up that they’ve never done before in North America, a Plug-In Hybrid. The newly introducedH 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid will offer an all-electric range of 24 miles (38.4km). This is the first-ever Sonata PHEV and will feature a 9.8 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack which will be approximately five times larger than the standard Sonata Hybrid’s battery.
The 2016 Sonata Plug-In Hybrid is set to go on sale in the US later this year and we expect the Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid to also make an appearance soon. The battery pack can be charged in less than nine hours using a standard 120V outlet or less than three hours using a Level-Two charger.
The Sonata Plug-In Hybrid will use a six-speed automatic transmission with a Transmission-Mounted electrical Device 50kW (67hp) electric motor in place of a torque converter. The electric motor used in this vehicle is 32 percent more powerful than the electric motor used in the standard Hybrid. The motor allows the EV operation at a higher engine load and speed.
The system will also make use of a 2.0-liter Nu four-cylinder GDI engine producing 154 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque. The total output of the system is 202 horsepower at 6,000rpm. Based on Hyundai’s testing, the Sonata Plug-In Hybrid is expected to deliver 93 MPGe combined in EV mode. And in charge sustaining mode, the vehicle is expected to return 40mpg (5.9L/100km) combined.
In terms of looks, the vehicle will look the same as the standard Sonata Plug-In Hybrid except for the charging port on the driver side front fender. On the interior, the battery charge indicator will be located on top of the dashboard for easy viewing when outside the vehicle.
The 2016 Sonata Plug-In Hybrid will initially be offered in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont later this year. Consumers will be eligible for a fixed and variable federal tax credit based on battery capacity. No word yet on the pricing but more details will be available once closer to the launch date.
