Hyundai Claims to Be Driving the Future of Electrified Mobility — Is It? | Taha Abbasi

Hyundai’s Bold R&D Claims Meet Market Reality

Taha Abbasi is always skeptical when automakers claim to be “driving the future” — it’s easy to publish press releases, harder to deliver vehicles that change the market. Hyundai Motor Group declared this week that it is “Driving the Future of Electrified Mobility with Advanced R&D,” and while the company is producing some of the better EVs available today, calling it a leader requires qualification.

Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP platform underpins some genuinely excellent vehicles: the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV6, and EV9. The 800V architecture enables ultra-fast charging, and the vehicles consistently receive positive reviews for driving dynamics, range, and interior quality. But producing good EVs and leading the industry are different things.

Where Hyundai Excels

Credit where it’s due — Taha Abbasi recognizes Hyundai’s strengths. The 800V charging architecture was first-to-market among mass brands, enabling 10-80% charges in under 18 minutes at compatible stations. The platform’s flexibility allows wildly different vehicles (the sporty Ioniq 5 N and the family-hauling EV9) to share core architecture while feeling completely distinct.

Hyundai’s manufacturing prowess is also formidable. Unlike EV startups that struggle to scale production, Hyundai can leverage decades of mass-manufacturing expertise to produce EVs efficiently. The company’s partnership with Waymo for next-generation autonomous vehicles further validates its platform’s capability.

Where Hyundai Falls Short

But leadership requires more than good products. Hyundai’s EV sales volume still trails Tesla, BYD, and even some Chinese brands like Li Auto. The company’s charging network strategy relies on third-party providers rather than building proprietary infrastructure like Tesla’s Supercharger network. And Hyundai’s software stack — while improving — still can’t match Tesla’s over-the-air update capabilities or integrated ecosystem.

As Taha Abbasi has covered, the race for autonomous capability is another area where Hyundai partners rather than leads. The Waymo collaboration positions Hyundai as a hardware supplier for autonomy rather than a developer of autonomous technology.

The R&D Investment Question

Hyundai’s R&D spending on electrification is substantial but not industry-leading relative to revenue. Tesla reinvests aggressively in AI, energy, and robotics. BYD’s vertical integration (it manufactures its own batteries) gives it R&D efficiency advantages. Hyundai’s multi-pathway approach — investing in EVs, hybrids, and hydrogen simultaneously — spreads resources thinner than competitors who are all-in on batteries.

Taha Abbasi believes Hyundai is a strong contender, not a leader. The company makes excellent EVs, partners wisely, and manufactures efficiently. But driving the future requires setting the agenda, not following it. Until Hyundai develops proprietary autonomy software, builds a charging network, or achieves battery manufacturing independence, the “future of electrified mobility” will continue to be driven by others — with Hyundai as a capable fast-follower.

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com