HEAVY DUTY: Hyundai revs up its mobility fleet

In an awesome display of dominance and corporate strength, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), the country’s official distributor of Hyundai cars, SUVs, trucks and buses, recently hosted a three-day mobility exposition in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Held at the sprawling LausGroup Event Center, the exposition showcased the commercial vehicles fleet of HARI. Dubbed as the “Hyundai Power Solutions Expo,” the San Fernando event held on October 16 was the inaugural leg of a series of expositions to be held in strategic locations around the country.

“This event is a move by Hyundai to strengthen its presence in the commercial vehicles segment, while at the same time contributing to the enhancement of our country’s infrastructure and mobility. We chose San Fernando as the inaugural leg because it is the heart of Central Luzon’s trade and commerce. In this province, we have three export processing zones, the Clark Freeport, Subic Bay Freeport and the Bataan Export Processing zone. It has the advantage due to its strategic proximity to the country’s commercial and political capital,” explained Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, president and chief executive officer of HARI.

Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade (center) stresses a point about the jeepney modernization while (from left) Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, HARI president and CEO, and Liberato “Levy” Laus, chairman of the Laus Group of Companies look on.

At the center of the festivities were the commercial vehicle fleet of Hyundai, from the HD light- to medium-duty vehicles to the Xcient heavy-duty series, as well as sophisticated people movers such as the H350 and the County, up to the Super Aero City and Universe buses. Also in the limelight was Hyundai’s take of the modern jeepney, which debuted during the three-day expo. Hyundai Jeepney’s unique body design was penned by students of the University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Interior Design in collaboration with UP’s College of Engineering. Technical expertise was provided by experts from Hyundai Motor Co.’s Research and Development Center from Seoul, South Korea.

 

medium duty truck equipped with an aluminum “wing van”.

“The debut of the new Hyundai Jeepney reflects the company’s steadfast commitment to support the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernizaton Program [PUVMP]. It is a step toward progress and we are working closely with the Department of Transportation to ensure that this vision becomes a reality,” added Agudo. “Seeing this Hyundai Jeepney which was designed by the young minds of UP Diliman further strengthens the Duterte government’s resolve to realize the PUVMP. I am happy with the design, and Hyundai really thought of everything to provide the commuting public with a modern, comfortable and people-friendly jeepney,” stated Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, who graced the exposition as a show of support to HARI and his close friend, businessman Levy Laus, chairman of the LausGroup of Companies.

One of the popular displays is the H350 van, Hyundai’s practical and comfortable people mover.
Hyundai is the vehicle of choice of the Philippine National Police and emergency services because of its durability and low maintenance.
The star of the show is Hyundai’s take on the modern jeepney.
Two commercial versions of the HD78.

The Hyundai Jeepney is powered by a Euro IV CRDi engine for better fuel efficiency and cleaner emissions, and comes equipped with the mandatory PUV features such as automated payment system (Beep card-enabled system); WiFi connectivity, GPS tracking, CCTV cameras for security, and speed limiter technology.

HARI is investing P1.2 billion into boosting its commercial vehicle (CV) dealership facilities and after-sales expertise. At present, HARI has a total of 11 CV dealerships located in key cities all over the country. Agudo also revealed that their target is to have at least 20 CV dealerships across the archipelago by 2020.