[THE INVESTOR] Hyundai Rotem, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, said on May 26 it will fit the automaker’s new electric bus with its traction motors.

The Elec City, scheduled for launch in the domestic market next year, will be equipped with the device that is said to lighten vehicle weight and improve fuel efficiency. The type offered by Hyundai Rotem has 120 kilowatts of power, or up to 240 kw when used for the rear wheels of the bus, equivalent to 322 horsepower. This is better than buses that use compressed natural gas that have 300 horsepower on tap.

The traction motor is on exhibit at the Truck & Bus Mega Fair under way in Ilsan, northwest of Seoul.

Hyundai Rotem developed the electric motor as part of a four-year project, together with Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Dymos.

By Alex Lee and newswires (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)