Hyundai Motors has launched the new Sonata Hybrid with a solar roof system. The solar roof system will help in combating issues relating to range anxiety of electric vehicles. The solar system will recharge the battery to increase travel distance. Hyundai estimates that with six hours of charging in direct sunlight each day, the Sonata Hybrid could gain 1,300 km of extra electric driving a year. It will also reduce battery discharge when the vehicle is not in use.
In addition, the car features the active shift control (ASC) technology, which has been designed and incorporated to further improve the dynamic driving experience and fuel economy of the vehicle. The ASC applies new control logic software to the hybrid control unit, which then controls the electric motor to align the rotational speeds of the engine and transmission, ultimately reducing gear shift time by 30 per cent.