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Hyundai to Introduce Toyota Prius Rival

At a news press conference at the 2011 New York International Auto Show, Hyundai confirmed that it has plans to develop and introduce on the market two new models capable of 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km) fuel efficiency.

The new cars should debut in a couple of years as a Hyundai executive told Inside Line and one model in particular will rival with Toyota Prius.

The rival for the Prius was previewed in 2009 in the form of the Hyundai Blue-Will Concept. The car featured a gasoline direct-injection 1.6-liter engine connected to a continuously variable transmission and a 134 hp (100 kW) electric motor which uses a lithium-ion polymer battery pack.

The automaker did not stated any other details regarding the name for the Prius rival or any other data referring to the second 40 mpg (5.8 L/100 km) model.

A Hyundai executive who preferred to remain anonymous said that the second model is going "to be very aggressive with internal-combustion engines."

"The strategy of further developing the internal-combustion engine, with significant increases in fuel economy, is where we see the market going," the executive said.

"In addition to the new Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Veloster and Accent, Hyundai will introduce one more 40-mpg highway car and another achieving 40+ mpg in the next couple years," said Hyundai Motor America in a statement.

"These additional models will further the company's 40-mpg highway sales volume growth as it steams toward its stated goal of an EPA fleet average of at least 50 mpg by 2025," he added.
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