Hyundai hybrid cars have lowest emissions

Audi slapped with W1 billion fine

Hyundai Motor’s hybrid vehicles produced the lowest emissions among domestic vehicles, the Ministry of Environment said Tuesday.

According to a survey conducted by the Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office, a unit of the ministry, Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid topped the list of the lowest emission vehicles, followed by Hyundai’s Grandeur hybrid vehicle.

Sonata hybrid emitted 0.003 gram of hydrocarbon (HC) per kilometer, 0.003 gram of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (No2), and 0,087 gram of carbon monoxide (Co), all below the emission standard. The amount of CO2 emission, known as greenhouse gas, recorded 112.6 grams per kilometer.

Avante and Sonata running on gasoline, the country’s most favored models, ranked second and third in the scale, respectively.

The office analyzed 568 domestic and imported vehicles.

“All vehicles running on the streets have passed the primary pollutant emission standard. We conducted this survey to remind consumers of the existence of environment-friendly vehicles and encourage them to make wise decisions when purchasing a vehicle,” said Han Mi-ok, an official at the air quality management office.

The result was based on points allocated according to emission rate. Vehicles were rated on a scale of one to five based on the points, with the scale of one being the cleanest.

Japanese Honda’s Accord was the cleanest foreign vehicle.

In the meantime, the ministry said it would recall 9,813 Audi vehicles sold in Korea between Aug. 28 2008 and March 9, 2013 for carrying malfunctioning catalytic converters.

The three models subject to recall are the A4 2.0 quattro, the A5 2.0 quattro and the A5 Cabriolet quattro.

It slapped a 1-billion-won fine on the German automaker for violation of the regulations governing emissions.

Consumers can have their converters replaced at an Audi service center from Wednesday. By Kim Se-jeong The korea times