Beijing Hyundai unveils i30, BT01 in Shanghai

Shanghai, April 27 (Gasgoo.com) Beijing Hyundai unveils its first own-developed model, the BT01, as well as i30 hatchback, at the Shanghai auto show. It also brought with it two hybrid vehicles, IX-onic concept and several existing models.

The BT01 was developed by the technical centre of Beijing Hyundai, with its design and most of R&D tests completed in China, according to the company.

 Beijing Hyundai unveils the Sonata-based BT01in Shanghai

The vehicle is based on the current Chinese Sonata NF that will remain in production. Sales will start later this year. No further information is currently available for this model.

Hyundai i30

Hyundai plans to launch the I30 small hatchback with 1.6- and 2-liter engines in September in China. Noh Jae Man, Beijing Hyundai Motor Co's president, said the company is expecting to sell about 40,000 i30 cars annually.

In the first three months, Beijing Hyundai sold more than 109,000 vehicles in China, up 49% from a year earlier. This better-than-expected performance has boosted the confidence of the Korean carmaker in the Chinese market and encouraged it to raise the venture's sales target to 400,000 units for this year.