Hyundai plans diesels and fuel-cells following V8 intro

Researchers at Hyundai and its Kia brand are developing new diesel and hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains that'll eventually be added to its lineup but the immediate focus remains the introduction of a new V8 platform. The new V8 engine will debut in Hyundai’s upcoming RWD Genesis sedan and could also end up in the Tiburon replacement being developed on the same platform.

There are no plans to introduce RWD platforms or high-performance engines to the Kia range. Instead, the Korean budget brand will get new highly efficient turbo engines and new clean diesels. Hyundai released its first diesel engine in the mid-sized Veracruz crossover that went on sale in Europe and Korea earlier this year. The 3.0L V6 diesel, which develops 240hp, was ruled out for US sales because it didn’t meet emissions standards. As for the fuel-cells, Hyundai has confirmed that a platform and engine have been developed, with limited sales penciled in for 2012.

Hyundai boss Dong Jin Kim revealed that a diesel Veracruz will eventually be sold in the US by 2010 at the latest, and, in an interview with Automotive News, Kia’s US Chief Len Hunt explained that although diesels are preferred over hybrids there are no immediate plans for Kia to start offering the oil-burners or petrol-electric hybrids in the short term.