Hyundai pushes Brazil SUV, hydrogen strategy and AI-driven diversification

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung visited the company's Piracicaba plant in Brazil to outline a mid‑to‑long‑term growth plan for the market. The strategy emphasizes expanding the SUV lineup, introducing fuel‑flexible and electrified models such as the i20 with an ethanol‑gasoline powertrain, and exploring hydrogen mobility through local R&D partnerships. Hyundai targets 204,000 vehicle sales in Brazil for 2026, holding a 7.1% market share.

At the San Francisco AI Summit, Chung announced that Hyundai aims to become a physical artificial‑intelligence company. The plan extends beyond car manufacturing to autonomous vehicles, robotics, AI‑defined factories and city‑level intelligence, leveraging collaborations with Nvidia, Waymo and Boston Dynamics. Hyundai positions this move to compete with both traditional automakers and technology firms as the industry shifts toward software‑defined mobility and intelligent machines.