Batteries included as Hyundai amps up electric car ambitions

Hyundai Motor Co's electric-car platform would allow the automaker to install a battery pack in vehicle floors to accommodate more battery capacity. — Reuters

YONGIN, South Korea: South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co is developing its first dedicated architecture for electric vehicles, an executive told Reuters, seeking to catch up with the likes of Tesla in the growing segment with multiple, long-range models.

While the platform will not be completed soon, Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors Corp plan to roll out small electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs) based on an existing underpinning next year, said Lee Ki-sang, who leads Hyundai-Kia's green cars operations.