Hyundai presented two big ideas this week. The first was the company’s plan to use excess energy from renewable sources to power large-scale electrolysis plants to make hydrogen.
Hyundai — like all other companies looking at hydrogen — is still vague on how it will contain the smallest molecule, but Hyundai’s executive VP and head of its Fuel Cell Centre, Saehoon Kim, said its hydrogen will be cleaner and cheaper than “grey hydrogen”.
Grey hydrogen is made by burning coal, a process that requires more electricity than what the hydrogen can generate, plus large quantities of toxic and greenhouse gases are by-products.
But as Hyundai pointed out, “green” hydrogen fuel cells offer the most effective source of clean sustainable energy for commercial transport like superlink trucks, planes and cargo ships, none of which can carry a bank of heavy batteries to power their long journeys.
Not that Hyundai is against batteries. In fact, future Hyundai vehicles will use either hydrogen or battery-powered systems. But it is the end of the road for internal combustion engines, with R&D chief Albert Biermann saying that Hyundai will not start any “new developments” that need to burn fossil fuels.
Last word in diesel burners
Which means the other big presentation this week — the all-wheel-drive Palisade SUV that Hyundai finally launched in South Africa — is now the last word in cutting-edge diesel engines from Seoul. The Palisade is Hyundai’s flagship SUV and has garnered praise since its launch two years ago, as well as several safety awards, including Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in America, and a five-star safety rating from the American National Highway Traffic Safety Association.
 |
| Stanley Anderson, the bossman at Hyundai South Africa. |
Blowing away all competitors
Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director at Hyundai Automotive SA, said he has a difficult task finding competitors for the Palisade.
He is selling two Palisade models in SA — a seven seater and an eight seater.
Both sell for just under a million rand, making them the most expensive models in Hyundai’s showrooms.
If one compares vehicles based on the drivetrain, the number of seats and the list of mod cons, the competitors range from a Haval H9 to a Toyota Land Cruiser or Prado, to a Volvo XC90 or a VW Caravelle.
If one adds the price and after-sales services, the Palisade offers the most bells and whistles for the least money in SA. The after-sales service includes Hyundai’s seven-year or 200,000 km manufacturer’s warranty, a seven-year or 105 000 km service plan, as well as roadside assistance for seven years or 150,000 km.
All the bells and whistles
The bells’ and whistles’ list covers all the features one expects in a million-rand vehicle, plus a few luxuries SA motorists are not yet used to, like heated seats in the middle row; wireless cellphone charging; simultaneous Bluetooth paring for two phones; seven USB outlets giving power to all three rows of seats; and really cool (or really hot) air con using new diffuser air vents in the roof.
The big car is also happy on deeply rutted dirt roads, where its Terrain selector offers Sand, Mud and Snow modes to make the most of the proprietary all-wheel-drive system. In 'merikuh, the V6 with difflock is even better, as the video by EveryMan Driver above shows.
On tar it is reasonably quick and offers the driver four settings — Smart, Eco, Comfort and Sport — to ensure low consumption. In Eco mode, Anderson said he managed to get 8,5 l/100 in his normal city commute from the R2.2 CRDi engine, which is linked to a very smooth 8-speed automatic transmission with a multi-plate torque converter. This proven diesel makes 142 kW at a low 3 800 r/min and 440 Nm between 1 750 to 2 750 r/min, making the big sport ute very driveable in city traffic and quick to overtake on the highway.
In conclusion, the Palisade is a big sport ute that offers South Africans all the luxuries that Americans take for granted, at a price that blows away all the competitors. Any family looking for a seven or eight seater that can do it all, needs look no further than Palisade.
