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Hyundai Introduces All New Atos Electric Vehicle at Frankfurt Motor Show

9 September 1997

Hyundai Introduces All New Atos Electric Vehicle at Frankfurt Motor Show

                 New Battery Management Program Extends Range
             Features `Creeper' Mode For Heavy Traffic Situations

    FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 9 -- Hyundai Motor Company today
unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show an all-new electric vehicle, the Atos EV,
based on the company's new mini-car, the Atos.
    The Atos EV is a development vehicle which showcases the Korean auto
company's advanced research in electric vehicles.  The Atos EV weights just
2,585 pounds, including the battery pack, which holds 24 nickel metal hydride
(Ni-MH) batteries.
    The Atos EV can travel more than 120 miles in stop and go city driving and
can reach a top speed of 80 miles an hour.  The vehicle has several unique
features which help achieve its excellent range.
    The Hyundai Intelligent Diagnostic System (HIDS) constantly monitors all
of the vehicle's electrical subsystems and fine tunes the operation for
maximum efficiency.  An innovative battery management program maximizes the
battery life span and energy utilization.  A regenerative braking system also
helps to extend the driving range.
    For heavy traffic, which can put significant demands on an electrical
vehicle, the Atos EV uses the "creeper" mode which uses the minimum amount of
power necessary to "creep" along with slow moving traffic.  The vehicle's
motor enters this mode automatically when it detects very slow vehicle motion.
    Based on the Hyundai Atos, which was also introduced at the Frankfurt
Motor Show, the EV can carry up to five people in comfort.  Its interior
dimensions and suspension design are similar to the gasoline-powered Atos.
Some changes have been made to maximize driving range while ensuring passenger
comfort, such as the use of a heat pump-type air conditioner.
    The central powerplant is a 50 Kw AC induction motor which is connected to
a single speed transmission.  Power comes from the latest generation of nickel
metal hydride batteries which feature high energy density.
    The electrical systems have been integrated into a highly compact single
module which includes the DC-AC inverter, charger, air conditioning and power
steering controls.  An on-board 6.6 Kw conductive charger can fully recharge
the Ni-MH batteries in seven hours.

SOURCE  Hyundai Motor Company