Environment: Coveted award for Hyundai

Since 2012, the VCS Auto-Umweltliste has been awarding a prize for innovative developments that contribute to more environmentally friendly cars. This year, the Innovation Award recognizes Hyundai for the further expansion of its diverse range of models with alternative drive systems.

Small car Pony first model with gas drive
The basis for this is Hyundai's development department, with which the manufacturer invests in various future technologies. As early as the 1980s, the Pony small car, one of the first Group models, was offered with a gas drive. This was followed by the Hyundai Ioniq, the world's first newly developed passenger car designed solely for alternative drive systems. Instead of conventional diesel or gasoline engines, the Ioniq is marketed as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and as an electric vehicle.

Development of a hydrogen filling station network
Another electric car, the Kona, has been on offer since this year. Hyundai is also at the forefront of the still few hydrogen series-produced vehicles. The ix35 Fuel Cell is the best-selling hydrogen fuel cell car in Europe. And with the Nexo, the advanced successor model has already been on the market since this year.
In Switzerland, Hyundai is working with Coop to set up a hydrogen filling station network. In addition, from 2019, 1000 Hyundai trucks with electric drive systems are to be put on the road in Switzerland alone and run on hydrogen from sustainable production.

Gas drive from Seat and Mercedes refrigerant
Hyundai clearly won the Auto-Umweltliste innovation award ahead of Seat and Mercedes, which were also nominated. The Spanish manufacturer Seat was nominated for its pioneering role in gas drives. Mercedes was shortlisted for the use of natural refrigerants in car air conditioning systems.

hyundai.ch
seat.ch
mercedes.ch