Kris Alingod – AHN News Contributor

Seoul, South Korea (AHN) – Hyundai has officially joined the growing electric car market with its first full-speed electric vehicle.

South Korea’s largest automaker unveiled the BlueOn on Thursday in Seoul. A version of the manufacturer’s small hatchback, i10, the vehicle has a maximum speed of 81 miles per hour. It has a lithium-ion polymer battery that can travel 87 miles in a single charge.

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak test-drived the car during the launch held on the grounds of his sprawling official residence, the Blue House.

Hyundai invested $34.3 million in the past year to develop BlueOn, which is also the nation’s first electric car. It will provide government agencies a test fleet of 30 cars for two years to make improvement to the vehicle. The car will also be used in the G20 summit in Seoul in November.

“Consumers’ interests and demand for eco-friendly cars are rising and securing such advanced technology is critical in becoming an industry leader,” Hyun-Soon Lee, vice chairman at the company’s resarch and development center, said in a statement.

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