Detroit Autoshow 2010: Blue-Will, Hyundai's prelude to the hybrid

Korean automaker Hyundai presented the Blue-Will for the very first time in North America.

Although it’s old news (the Blue-Will was unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show last spring), the many innovations it features were obviously enough to excite journalistic interest in Detroit.


Its futuristic body (fanciful, some might say) hides the architecture of the first plug-in hybrid created by Hyundai. This rolling laboratory represents the path the aumotaker could be following for the developpment of its future compact sedans.

To recharge the batteries, Hyundai has given the Blue-Will a glass roof with built in solar cells as well as a thermal generator that converts exhaust gas into electricity. The Blue-Will features electic steering controls, and drivers will have to learn to use the numerous dash board controls through a touch screen.

According to the manufacturer, the Blue-Will (or something like it) could even end up in large-scale production exclusively as a hybrid. It would be to Hyundai what the Prius is to Toyota.


The automaker’s press conference naturally included the mention of the arrival this spring of a 6th generation of Sonata sedans (presented to the American press at the LA show in December). Streamlined like a Mercedes-Benz CLS or a Volkswagen Passat CC, the new mid-size sedan will hit Hyundai dealerships this spring.

Also brought up was the redesigning of the Tucson compact crossover as well as the arrival of a lightly refreshed Santa Fe.