The Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid SUV: The Complete Guide For The UK

---

---

Overview

---

The Hyundai Motor Company, usually referred to only as Hyundai, is a leading South Korean automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul. The company was founded in 1967, with its first model, the Cortina (in collaboration with Ford Motor Company), launched in 1968. The Cortina was assembled in the Ulsan plant in South Korea. Hyundai has come a long way since then, and currently owns a 33.88% stake in Kia Corporation, and also wholly owns the luxury automotive brand, Genesis, among others.

Hyundai has an annual production capacity of over 1.6 million units, making the automotive manufacturer the third-largest in terms of production behind the Japanese automotive manufacturer, Toyota and the German automotive group, Volkswagen. Hyundai has production facilities across a number of global locations. Some of these include: North America, India, Russia, Turkey, China and the Czech republic. Hyundai vehicles are sold in nearly 200 countries globally.

Hyundai commenced developing alternative fuel vehicles in 1988. The first pure electric car was developed by the company in 1991 (Sonata EV). The automotive manufacturer commenced producing hybrid electric vehicles in 2008. The company has also been involved with hydrogen powered vehicles. In 2018, Hyundai launched the Nexo, a hydrogen powered crossover SUV. The company also launched the first the Xcient Fuel Cell, the world’s first production hydrogen fuel cell truck.

In 2022, the company announced a new production facility in South Korea, with a sole focus on the manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs). The facility is expected to commence operations in 2025. The company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):

• Hyundai IONIQ Electric
• Hyundai Kona Electric
• Hyundai IONIQ Plug-In Hybrid
• Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
• Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid
• All-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5
• All-electric Hyundai IONIQ 6
• All-electric Hyundai INSTER

---

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram

---

Electric Cars: The Basics

---

For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

---

Sign up to the e-zoomed Electric Living newsletter

---

The Hyundai Tucson PHEV SUV

---

The Hyundai Tucson sport utility vehicle (SUV) has been available since 2004. The 5-seater SUV is named after Tucson, the city is Arizona, USA. Since its launch the Tucson SUV has been very popular, making it the best-selling Hyundai SUV. Since 2004, more than 7 million units have been sold globally. The current model, the fourth-generation variant, was revealed in 2020. The Tucson is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

The Hyundai Tucson PHEV is a good option for families keen on a mid-sized SUV, without breaking the bank. Driving the plug-in hybrid on all-electric mode will help lower the cost of motoring, amplified by the recent increase in fuel prices in the UK. Electric driving can be as cheap as 10 pence per mile.

The all-wheel drive Tucson plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) pairs a 1.6-litre (4-cylinder) T-GDi petrol engine with a 66.9 kW electric motor, powered by an onboard EV battery. The automotive manufacturer claims a fuel economy up to 201.8 mpg for the electric vehicle (EV). Of course the real-world fuel economy will depend on a number of factors, but none as influential as using the e-mode.

Bottom-line, to increase the fuel economy of the electric vehicle and lower the driving costs, the PHEV should be driven as much as possible on the pure electric mode. If the EV is driven primarily using the combustion engine, expect the fuel economy to be closer to 45 mpg.

Given the WLTP certified emission-free electric range is 32 miles, and most day-to-day commutes are short, there is much scope for taking advantage of electric driving to save money. The PHEV has a 13.8 kWh onboard EV battery, which is reasonably standard for a PHEV of this size.

However, expect the real-world electric range to be closer to 27 miles. The EV range is impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, load, regenerative braking, road condition, weather, wheel size and a lot more.

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed recommend the use of a dedicated EV charging station, like easee to charge the EV.

We do not encourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug. Charging the EV using a single-phase EV charger will take up to two hours. Of course, if you top-up on a regular basis, the charging time will be faster. The PHEV has a 7.2 kW onboard charger and does not offer fast DC charging capability.

In terms of practicality, the Hyundai EV has much to offer. The interior cabin is spacious, with ample headroom and legroom for front and rear seat passengers. The driver seat benefits from good visibility and the driver cockpit is well designed. Despite the placement of the onboard EV battery, the boot space is decent (558 L), though a little smaller than the petrol variant.

The EV is packed with a host of driving assistance and safety features, to include: highway drive assist (HDA), forward collision-avoidance assist, remote smart park assist, blind spot view monitor and more. The EV has been awarded a Five-Star NCAP Safety Rating.

The performance of the electric SUV is decent. The all-wheel drive Tucson PHEV can achieve 0-62 mph in 8.6 seconds, also benefiting from instant torque. The drivetrain delivers a maximum power of 265 PS (torque 350 Nm) and the top speed is 120 mph. Sufficient for city and motorway driving.

The Tucson plug-in hybrid is also an option for company-car drivers, given the reduced tailpipe emissions (31g CO2/km) of the hybrid and lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-12%) tax charge, compared to the conventional petrol variant (157g CO2/km).

The PHEV does not qualify for the UK government plug-in car grant (PiCG). Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!

---

---

PROS	CONS
Good standard equipment specification	Cheaper alternatives available
Spacious and good quality interiors	Electric range limited. DC charging not available
Easy and comfortable to drive	Exterior design may not be to everyones liking

---

The Hyundai Tucson PHEV SUV (credit: Hyundai)

---

At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Body Type:	SUV
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG):	Not Available
Engine:	Petrol/ Electric
Available In UK:	Yes

---

Variants (4 Options)
Hyundai Tucson N Line Plug- In Hybrid (from £39,680)
Hyundai Tucson N Line S Plug- In Hybrid (from £41,000)
Hyundai Tucson Premium Plug-In Hybrid (from £39,680)
Hyundai Tucson Ultimate Plug- In Hybrid (from £42,380)

---

EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 13.8 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. On board charger: 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	31g (CO2/km)
EV Battery Warranty:	8 years or 100,000 miles

---

Average Cost Of Residential Charging
Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh	£1.27
Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh	£1.67
Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh	£1.73
Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh	£1.89
Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh	£2.03

• Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
• Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.

---

Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

---

Dimensions
Height (mm):	1651
Width (mm):	1865
Length (mm):	4500
Wheelbase (mm):	2680
Turning Circle (m):	10.6
Boot Space (L):	558

---

1.6 T-GDi Plug-In Hybrid 4WD
EV Battery Capacity:	13.8 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	32 miles
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	N/A
Fuel Consumption (mpg):	201.8
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2 hrs)
Top Speed:	120 mph
0-62 mph:	8.6 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	66.9
Max Power (PS):	265
Torque (Nm):	350
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,818 – 1,924
Colours:	10
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

---

While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

---

Featured Articles

---

---

Featured Products

---