The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid marks the introduction of the automaker’s TMED-II hybrid system within the U.S., representing the second technology of Hyundai’s totally in-house developed parallel-hybrid know-how designed to boost each effectivity and efficiency. This new system additionally integrates extra electrical vehicle-like traits into hybrids.
Whereas electrical autos have made important progress over the past decade, hybrids typically linger within the shadow of established fashions just like the Toyota Prius, which debuted within the Nineties and has advanced via cautious, incremental modifications. Nevertheless, as hybrid gross sales soar worldwide, automakers are more and more integrating gas-electric powertrains into their choices.
Hyundai has totally embraced this shift, with its U.S. lineup already that includes hybrid variants of in style fashions just like the Santa Fe, Tucson, Sonata, and Elantra. The addition of the 2026 Palisade, which debuts the second-generation TMED-II hybrid system, additional expands this roster.
The TMED acronym stands for Transmission-Mounted Electrical Drive, and this revised system brings notable enhancements over its predecessor, the TMED-I. The TMED-II system enhances energy and effectivity whereas offering drivers with extra management over the hybrid battery’s state of cost, a function absent from earlier fashions.
For instance, the Santa Fe Hybrid makes use of a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine mixed with a 60-horsepower electrical motor and a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery. In distinction, the brand new Palisade Hybrid is provided with a bigger 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four engine paired with a 1.65 kWh battery and two electrical motors. The smaller motor, producing 17 horsepower (13 kW), assists with engine startup and powers varied in-vehicle features, whereas the bigger 72-horsepower (54 kW) motor drives the wheels and contributes to regenerative braking. Each motors are compact, built-in into the transmission case with out considerably altering its measurement.
Hyundai has made a modest improve in battery measurement. Notably, the corporate employs a parallel-hybrid structure, not like Toyota’s power-split system.
Hyundai estimates that the Palisade Hybrid will obtain 34 miles per gallon, offering a projected driving vary of 619 miles, which is spectacular for a automobile of its measurement. The hybrid system enhances energy as effectively, delivering an estimated whole output of 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque—90 extra horsepower than the normal V6 Palisade.
Moreover, the Palisade Hybrid includes a new Keep Mode accessible by way of the touchscreen, permitting drivers to function the HVAC, infotainment, radio, and different methods with out partaking the gasoline engine. This function allows passengers to benefit from the cabin’s comforts at a trailhead, sport, or campsite purely on electrical energy. Drivers can activate Keep Mode a couple of miles earlier than reaching their vacation spot, charging the battery to 70-80% utilizing the engine and regenerative braking. As soon as parked, the automobile can depend on that saved cost with out frequent engine restarts, a standard prevalence in lots of hybrids throughout idling.
This function might be notably useful for households, permitting them to comfortably wait within the automobile between actions without having to run the engine, all whereas having fun with facilities like streaming content material and enjoying music for as much as two hours.
Future iterations of the hybrid system are anticipated to incorporate vehicle-to-load (V2L) performance, enabling using the automobile’s battery to energy exterior gadgets—a component presently typical in fashionable EVs however nonetheless absent in hybrids.
The TMED-II system hints at the way forward for hybrid know-how, with expectations for extra energy-dense batteries, environment friendly motors, and extra EV-like options on the horizon.
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