Detroit 2010: Hyundai's Blue-Will Hybrid Concept Makes American Debut

Hyundai has decided to give its Blue-Will concept plug-in hybrid a spell in the limelight in Detroit - the first time it's been seen in the USA.

Just to recap
If you missed it the first time around It’s Hyundai’s first plug-in hybrid, powered by a 152hp 1.6-litre direct injection petrol engine, and boosted by a parallel 100kw electric motor which runs off boot-mounted lithium ion batteries.

Thermals on
Efficiency is further improved by a thermal generator, which uses heat from the exhaust pipe to produce electrical energy which is then used to power the Blue-Will’s auxiliary electrics. The car’s batteries can be recharged from a household plug too.

The stats
All this eco-stuff means that the Blue-Will can travel up to 40 miles on electric power alone, returning an equivalent of 128.4mpg. When the petrol motor kicks in too, the Blue-Will manages 65.7mpg.

Aero efficiency
As well as interesting oily bits, the Blue-Will has a body which is designed to minimise aerodynamic drag; it’s built from carbon-fibre reinforced plastics and nano composites to keep weight down. Bio-plastics, which are made of renewable vegetable oils instead of petroleum, are used throughout interior and exterior parts too.

All going on up top
Topping off the eco technology is a transparent roof which incorporates dye-sensitized solar cells, which keep the car cool when parked in the sun. This means you don’t need a blast of air conditioning to make the car cool enough to drive.

And production?
We chatted to the folks at Hyundai and they said, while the Blue-Will isn’t really a hint at what a future car is likely to look like, much of the technology will feature in upcoming Hyundai cars. The hybrid powertrain will feature in the US-market Sonata hybrid, while we can expect the weight-loss strategy and bio-plastics to be production ready in the near future too.