Kia Soul EV and the GT4 Stinger concept car made their first road trips to Europe

Hello from Geneva!

March 4th, 2014 Posted in Design & Technology,Motor Shows & Awards,Soul 

Just when you thought you had seen all there is to see, Kia shows up again—this time in Europe. We stopped by in Geneva, Switzerland, for the 84^th Salon International de I’Automobile, also known as the Geneva Motor Show.

The Best of the Best

First and foremost, the new Kia Soul EV and the GT4 Stinger concept car made their first road trips to Europe.

The new Kia Soul EV, which will be Kia’s first globally-sold electric vehicle when it goes on sale later this year, attracted many auto fans in Switzerland.

The GT4 Stinger concept car, which wowed the auto industry at its Detroit debut at the North American International Auto Show, finally made its way across the pond for those in Europe to admire.

 

The upgraded Kia Optima Hybrid and enhanced Kia Sportage will also be making their European debuts, full of new features such as new touchscreen interface (specific to the hybrid system) and a new (optional) high tech pack of driver assist systems.

 

More Firsts

In addition to the Soul EV’s European debut, Kia is also showcasing a new hybrid powertrain technology. This new technology was developed by the brand’s European R&D center, and will be plugged into future Kia models all around the world. The new hybrid powertrain can drive a car in electric-only mode at low speeds and while cruising, while the battery is recharged under deceleration. When the car is stationary, the technology also acts as a zero-emissions stop-start system, performing with almost no noise or vibration as it is features a belt-starting system.

 

Kia also revealed details of its all-new seven speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The first seven-speed transmission from the Korean manufacturer has been engineered to deliver both greater fuel efficiency and improved performance.

 

Back to the Basics

Exactly 70 years ago, Kia manufactured its first bicycle parts in Korea—who would’ve thought? Though we’ve come a long way since, we decided it was time to go back to the basics, but with a twist. Kia unveiled two prototypes (City model for urban use, and MTB for tougher terrain) of the Kia Electric Bicycle (KEB) concept to select media in Geneva. The KEB, designed and engineered by Kia’s Namyang R&D Center in Korea, has an innovative metal frame, propelled by a 250 Watt electric motor and weighing in around 20 kg. The KEB is designed for commuters, promising up to 40 km on a single charge, with a four-hour recharge time.

 

We are so excited to show everyone in Europe once again what Kia’s all about. Stay tuned for more news straight from Geneva!

                   

The best from behind-the-scenes in Geneva

March 17th, 2014 

• Kia BUZZ Editorial Team

It was a whirlwind couple of weeks with Kia in Geneva, where we got to finally greet our European fans with the Soul EV, the GT4 Stinger concept car, and showcase the latest Kia technologies during the Geneva Motor Show.

While the Soul EV was in the spotlight, plenty of other Kia cars and Kia’s latest technologies, like the all-new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and our new hybrid powertrain technology on display, also received a fair amount of attention.

In case you missed out on the action, catch all the highlights from the Geneva Motor Show below!

                   

Redesigned New Generation Soul

Redesigned New Generation Soul

December 31st, 2013 Posted in Soul,Videos   

• Kia BUZZ Editorial Team

Following up on our interview series on the refreshed Optima, we were also fortunate to learn more about the next generation Soul. Mr. Sae-Young Song, Director of Kia Styling Group, admits that the most challenging task was applying further uniqueness to the already iconic Soul, but we all agree that the team did a wonderful job in the upgrades.

Check out the video below for the interview and also, click here to see music inspired customized Souls featured at SEMA in Las Vegas this past November.

Learn more about the Soul:

-       Kia will soon launch its electric vehicle onto the international stage

-       Totally Transformed! The Second Generation Kia Soul and its Iconic Hamsters Rock Out to Lady Gaga

Stay tuned for more inside stories on the new generation Soul.

The World’s Toughest Auto Boot Camp – Kia Weathers the Extremes

The World’s Toughest Auto Boot Camp – Kia Weathers the Extremes

February 18th, 2014 Posted in Design & Technology,Soul,Videos   

• Kia BUZZ Editorial Team

The Chill Factor: Sub-zero Winter Test Programme

To what extremes would you go to get the best car on earth?

For the past few months, Kia’s engineers have been testing the Kia Soul EV in Swedish Lapland, a little more than an hour’s drive from the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can fall as low as -35°C. It has proven itself to be one of the most challenging climates to which the Soul EV has been subject.

Although our engineers can’t wait for spring to return, they are also excited to prove the durability and driveability of the Soul EV. The result of their hard work is a range of cars that are designed, engineered and proven to operate in some of the most extreme weather conditions on earth.

Frozen: How the Test Starts

The Arctic development programme starts every day with a full evaluation of the car after a night spent sitting in perilous sub-zero temperatures. The vehicle test team first ensures that all of the car’s moving parts, inside and out – including doors, bonnet and tailgate, as well as interior switches and handles, continue to operate as normal. Engineers also test all the major electrical systems, such as the electric windows and door mirrors, before moving on to the main driving systems – power steering, brakes and traction control in particular.

Sub-zero temperatures mean that snow stays on the ground for months at a time, giving engineers the chance to test the car’s powertrain, brakes, steering and suspension in conditions with very little grip.

Pushing Top-notch Technologies till Proven

This punishing programme goes far beyond the typical conditions which Soul EV owners are likely to experience in day-to-day winter motoring. Not only is the ground frozen, but lakes in Swedish Lapland also freeze over during the winter. With ice between 600 and 1,000 mm thick, it’s a safe environment for engineers to test a relatively lightweight passenger car. Similar tests are carried out on snow and ice, with full-bore acceleration runs, high-speed braking manoeuvres and even a handling test, thoroughly testing the vehicle’s on-the-limit ride and handling. It is an ideal place to test latest electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control systems.

Early on in the new Soul EV development programme, engineers identified the need to dramatically cut the energy consumption of the car’s Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) system. An electric vehicle can have its effective driving range slashed by up to 50 percent under extreme cold temperatures.

Testing the performance of the new HVAC systems in such conditions ensures effective reduction of energy consumption and increases the efficiency of the Soul EV’s lithium-ion polymer battery. Four new HVAC technologies are designed also to reduce load on the car’s battery. Chief among these is a new heat pump, which draws on heat from the air-conditioning and electrical systems to more efficiently warm up the cabin.

Enough Warmth to Go Around

A world-first driver-only ventilation system cuts off all heating and ventilation to the foot-well and dashboard vents on the passenger side, while pre-scheduled ventilation allows the driver to schedule the car to heat itself up while still plugged into the grid. Both of these technologies help the car achieve greater range in colder temperatures.

Finally, a new smart air intake control system monitors and controls the amount of air entering the cabin, cooling or heating the car more efficiently and minimising the use of heating or air-conditioning during a journey.

Soul EV drivers will find it to be the ideal companion for low emissions urban driving when it goes on sale later this year, but the comprehensive testing programme behind the development of the car goes farther than the urban environment. A very reassuring thought, isn’t it?

Watch the Soul EV undergo extreme winter testing in Swedish Lapland.

Learn more about Kia’s winter testing activities from this interview with a Kia engineer.

Take a look at more photos from the Arctic Circle here!