SEOUL (Reuters) - A vice chairman of Hyundai Motor said South Korea's top automaker does not plan to mass-produce a pure electric vehicle, expressing skepticism about the future of the much-touted technology, according to media reports.
The carmaker will focus on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, while affiliate Kia Motors plans to sell a box-shaped pure electric car in South Korea by the end of this year, reports said.
While General Motors, Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor are betting big on electric or hybrid electric cars, Hyundai and Kia, which together rank fifth in global car sales, have been slow in tapping into the segment, focusing more on fuel-efficient gasoline models.
