April 30, 2019: Century Motor Company (CMC), the exclusive distributor of Hyundai passenger and commercial vehicles in Lebanon, put on an electrifying display for the attendees of the e-Motorshow, the first event of its kind in the Middle East dedicated entirely to Electric & Hybrid Cars, held in Beirut on April 11-15.
Hyundai introduced its all-new 2020 Kona Electric and IONIQ hybrid vehicles, and gave the visitors a chance to test drive both models, which place Hyundai amongst the world’s top electrified vehicle manufacturers.
Known as Hyundai’s first-ever electric SUV, the 2020 Kona Electric has reaped the most prestigious awards, namely the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, an iF Design Award in the Automobiles/Vehicles category, a GOOD DESIGN® Award from the Chicago Athenaeum. Earlier, in 2018, the Hyundai Kona had also received a Red Dot Design Award – one of the most renowned international design and innovation prizes.
As for the IONIQ Hybrid, Hyundai’s innovative model that offers three electrified powertrains, it was awarded the Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) Supreme Award during the Busan International Motor Show.
On April 12, as part of the e-Motorshow, members of the press, media representatives and influencers attended “Presenting the Future of Mobility, Today”, a tech talk where representatives of Hyundai Motor Company MEA HQ spoke about HMC’s commitment to sustainable mobility, and its ambitious program of research, development, and commercialization of technologies that are bringing about positive environmental change. They also elaborated on the first-ever Nexo Fuel Cell, the world’s first dedicated hydrogen-powered SUV.
In turn, Mr. Rachid Rasamny, General Manager of Century Motor Company, proudly briefed the attendees about the achievements of CMC over the past 26 years, starting from the best after-sales service coupled with Lebanon’s Best 6-year Warranty for all Hyundai vehicles in Lebanon, to the importation of the Kona Electric, Hyundai’s first electrified vehicle. This followed the tremendous success encountered by the IONIQ Hybrid, once again confirming Century Motor Company’s position as a leader in the automotive industry and a strong believer in sustainable and intelligent mobility.
During the conference, Ms. Antonella Sioufi, Mechanical Engineer at CMC’s after-sales department, revealed that a study done by the company with the help of LAU’s mechanical engineering department, has shown that the IONIQ Hybrid registered around 42.92% less maintenance cost and 54% less fuel consumption than any same category gasoline vehicle.
Hyundai’s innovative approach aims to democratize e-mobility, making low-to-zero emission driving more accessible to everyone. For that end, the company has been broadening its research, design and product development to become one of the leading brands globally for electrified vehicles, with a plan of expanding its line-up of electric vehicles to 38 models by 2025.