Two Kia models will make their international debuts at the upcoming Paris Auto Show. Taking center stage will be an eye-catching Soul crossover, which had been officially introduced in South Korea yesterday and will be ready to make some splash at the European and U.S. market early next year.
Alongside the all-new Soul urban crossover car, Kia will unveil it’s first true hybrid vehicle. The company plans to present a gasoline-electric powered prototype, based on five door cee’d hatchback. The cee’d hybrid car is still in the stage of development and testing, so it’s full production run is not projected to start before the 2010.
In parallel with its on-going domestic Korean and USA FCEV vehicle testing programmes, Kia Motors is producing a fleet of nine prototype Kia cee’d Hybrid cars especially for testing and evaluation in Europe.
The Kia cee’d Hybrid has been created by Kia R&D to take part in ‘real-world’ test activities. Like the Soul Hybrid, the cee’d uses an upgraded powertrain developed from the earlier Rio Hybrid. The cee’d Hybrid now features Kia’s Gamma 1.6-litre gasoline engine, mated to a 15kW (20 ps), 105 Nm AC synchronised electric motor, Kia’s own CVT (continuously variable transmission) and Kia’s new ISG (Idle Stop&Go) system.
The high-torque electric motor generates its maximum torque (105 Nm) from just 1500 rpm and the Li-Poly 180 volt, 5.3 Ah power pack is located at the side of the trunk. The computer-controlled ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system also allows fuel-saving stop/start motoring.
Kia calculates that the cee’d Hybrid accelerates from 0-to-100 kph in 11.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 185 kph. The prototype achieves fuel consumption of 4.81 litres per 100 km and a CO2 figure of 114 g/km. Compared to the standard 1.6-litre gasoline cee’d, CO2 emissions are reduced by 25.0%.
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September 23rd, 2008 at 4:53 pm
O at Last! A stylish hybrid! Lovin those digi-gauges! I love the car too.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Anything is better than the Prius. Even Camry or Accord hybrids look better.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I want a hybrid pro_cee’d !!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Good for Kia
Unfortunately nothing for North America!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Good and it’s its own hybrid not borrowed by Toyota. Finally a hyrid that doesn’t give income to Toyota.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
It’s about time.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:54 am
It sounds like they took some design innovations from the eco_cee’d concept and used them here. Nicely done Kia, what benefits a diesel engine can also benefit a petrol/ gasoline engine, and an electric motor as well.
September 24th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Seems like we are gonna have two eco Kias soon. First the eco_cee’d, which sales will begin early next year and a year later, Kia will debut the hybrid cee’d.
Now, what I’m interested to know is, whether Kia will sell these two cars side by side, or the Eco_cee’d will be axed when the cee’d hybrid comes in.
What’s your opinion about that?
September 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am
I just hope the eco-cee’d stays below 100gr co2 per kms. Otherwise the exercise is not worth is…
September 24th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Eco_cee’d’s CO2 output is rated at 104g/km, down 17% from regular cee’d.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Or, since NA isn’t getting the cee’d, maybe they’ll make a hybrid Forte sedan and import that over here.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:34 am
remember that Soul concept with the hybrid logo in the boot?
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/paris/2008/kiasoulhybridnews.html#soulhybrid
November 17th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Wow. Didn’t know there was a forum just for Kia. Hybrid kia sounds good. Since it isn’t in north america yet why don’t we turn the Kia we currently have into a hybrid maybe? Couple sites that I have seen talks about doing this. Not a bad idea. Water used as fuel or something like that type: http://waterhybrids.blogspot.com/, http://www.squidoo.com/water-hybrid-system_kit and http://www.convert2hybrid.com
I just googled it
Been looking around to see how I could do this.