Hyundai leads the sustainability charge

14 February 2007
Immediate release

Hyundai leads the sustainability charge

Hyundai has moved quickly to assure owners and buyers that all current and future models easily meet government biofuel aims announced yesterday.

And the rapidly-rising brand has challenged the government to put its money where its mouth is with its own fleet.

“Every current Hyundai car and SUV can accept biofuel levels well above the targets set for diesel and petrol,” said the Managing Director of Hyundai Automotive NZ, Philip Eustace.

“That includes the superb new Sonata Elite diesel which would be the ideal replacement for the current ministerial cars.

“It’s a world-class sedan ideal for their purposes, and at $43,990 retail it’s great value for money as well.

“Hyundai is ready to start replacing the government fleet right now,” Mr. Eustace added.

“For several years now we have been working with government agencies, the fuel industry and others here in New Zealand to help assess and develop alternative fuels as blends in diesel and petrol.

“We have tested and proven a large number of Hyundai cars and SUVs, all models including the Sonata, at levels substantially above the 3.4 percent target set for year 2012.

“Right now in 2007 Hyundai is ready to move to a five percent blend of biodiesel and 10 percent bio-ethanol in petrol.

“For the past two years we have been running our entire fleet of media test vehicles on 10 percent ethanol and five percent biodiesel: that alone is a lot of cars running big kilometers.

Mr. Eustace says the need is now pressing for the government to fix the anomaly of Road User Charges on diesel fuel.

Repeating calls he has made previously and echoed throughout the industry, he describes the RUC as “an outdated form of tax collection”.

“The charge acts as a disincentive to swing the country’s vehicle fleet to diesel cars, with their lower CO2 emissions and much better fuel consumption … which of course are overall aims of the new government sustainability initiatives.

“With today’s diesel vehicles, like the Sonata and the rest of the Hyundai range, offering so many benefits to individual owners and to the country as a whole, the RUC has to be changed,” he urged.

But Mr. Eustace welcomes the latest announcement as a good start.

“The assurance I can give is that from next year when the modest target of 0.53 percent blends are to be introduced, every current and future Hyundai will happily accept the new fuels.

“The car or SUV will run faultlessly on the blended fuel without problem; the owner will notice no difference at all, when driving or long-term.

“So the New Zealander buying a new Hyundai today, or who has bought one in recent years, can be totally confident the vehicle will readily accept the blends targeted for five years’ time and levels above that again.

“There is no need to alter the vehicle in any way, simply put in the new fuel and go,” said Mr. Eustace.

“Hyundai has been a pioneer and ongoing proponent of alternative fuels, in New Zealand and internationally, and we are delighted that Kiwis are to share the benefits of this important work.

“The use of alternative fuels has an important role in the wider quest for sustainability. Hyundai is ready to play its part.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media