Hyundai building a Prius fighter Options

[elantragt]

Looks like Hyundai is hard at work building a small hatchback hybrid based on the next gen Elantra...

Spy photographers snapped a camouflaged car which appears to be the upcoming Hyundai hybrid hatchback, the first dedicated hybrid model in its lineup. Hyundai’s Prius fighter looks every bit the part, despite the camouflage. The general proportions of the hatch lift a page right out of Toyota’s perennial hybrid champion’s book. With a gently curving roof, an overall teardrop profile, and a sloping rear liftback, the shape is unmistakable.

The photographers were able to steal some shots under the chassis of the car, capturing visuals of high voltage cables, leads, and control arms stamped with “AE HEV”, with “AE” representing the internal model designation, and the “HEV” standing for hybrid-electric vehicle.

Expect the Hyundai hybrid to ride on a modified variant of the next-generation Elantra chassis, with power coming from a 1.6 liter four-cylinder, with assistance from an electric motor that pulls its power from a lithium-ion battery pack. It remains to be seen whether this hybrid will use similar hybrid technology as the new powertrains debuting on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Sonata Hybrid Plug-In model.

We expect the dedicated Hyundai hybrid model to arrive on dealer floors in 2016, with a plug-in variant to arrive at a later time. In the meantime, take a look at the spy photos below.

source: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1501-hyundais-dedicated-hybrid-hatchback-spied/#ixzz3PUmpKzG2

[a_v]

I'm interested in what they're going to do to pull buyers away from the Prius.