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Kia developing 800-volt charging technology for its future electric cars

Porsche-grade technology will trickle down to the Kia range during the 2020s. The South Korean company is planning to launch no less than 11 electric cars globally by 2025, and it confirmed some will come with an 800-volt charging system that promises to slash charging times while reducing the drivetrain's weight. As of writing, the only series-produced model equipped with 800-volt technology is the Taycan; the production version of the Audi E-Tron GT concept will get it, too. Kia plans to bring it to the masses when it releases its next-generation electric cars on the European market in 2021. It hasn't detailed the models yet, but it revealed they will be built on a platform developed specifically to underpin EVs. One will "blur the boundaries between passenger and sport utility vehicles," a not-so-subtle hint that the segment-bending Imagine concept (pictured) unveiled in 2019 is headed to production. An earlier, unverified report claims Rimac will help Kia make it a reality. Building electric cars on a purpose-designed platform represents a stunning about-face for the brand. Its two battery-powered models, the Niro EV and the Soul EV, are variants of gasoline-powered models. Kia is also developing battery technology that promises to unlock up to 310 miles of driving range. It hopes the investments it's making will convince a growing number of buyers to give up gasoline once and for all. Taking this not-inexpensive route makes integrating technology like an 800-volt charging system much easier. Kia also wants to bring electric cars to the masses, so it will also offer 400-volt charging (which is widely available in 2020) to keep costs in check. It predicted motorists who drive more will pay extra for the 800-volt system, because it will deliver "sub-20-minute high-speed" charging times when plugged into a compatible station, while those who don't suffer from range anxiety will be able to save money by selecting a 400-volt system. "Certain models, particularly those aimed at more cost-conscious buyers, will offer 400-volt charging capability; 800-volt charging won’t simply be reserved for KiaÂ’s flagship models, however, but where it most closely matches the usage profile of a particular model line," said Pablo Martinez Masip, the director of product planning and pricing for Kia's European division. He added both systems can be charged at home or in public.

2014 Kia Soul totally redesigned, now bigger and more refined

The 2014 Kia Soul has been unveiled at the 2013 New York Auto Show, and the all-new five-door box-on-wheels offers up nearly an extra inch of wheelbase and a track that's wider by .6 inches. The changes offer up a bit more space indoors, and since overall height has remained the same, the Soul now looks a bit less top heavy than before. A wider rear hatch opening also makes loading and unloading cargo easier. Indoors, the 2014 Soul offers a substantially revised cabin with more soft-touch materials, and leather seats are now on the option sheet. Designers borrowed inspiration from the Kia Track'ster Concept indoors, using organic lines throughout.
An available eight-inch touch screen takes care of infotainment duties on the center stack, and now features the ability to scroll through content by flicking a finger, just like a smartphone, instead of paging through multiple screens. Buyers can also fit their 2014 Soul with a larger TFT LCD color screen in the instrument cluster, which now displays turn-by-turn directions on vehicles equipped with navigation.
Engineers managed to create a chassis that's also 29-percent stiffer, with 66 percent of the shell using ultra-high-strength steel for safety and rigidity. Under the hood, base models bow with a 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine with 130 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, while Plus and Exclaim trims get a more potent direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder. That engine develops 164 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, and both mills can be bolted to either a six-speed manual or automatic depending on trim. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Good Samaritans rescue driver from sinking car in Florida

A pair of good Samaritans and three police detectives saved an elderly Florida man from drowning in his car after it crashed into a pond this week. According to Port Saint Lucie police, Hixford Banton was traveling westbound along Port Saint Lucie Boulevard in Port Saint Lucie when his Mercedes sedan was struck by another motorist attempting a turn on to the street from Arioso Boulevard. The collision caused Banton to lose control of his Mercedes. In his confusion, he ran off the road, drove across a lawn, and crashed into a pond in front of the town's City Hall. James "Randy" Brazier was across the street when he heard tires screeching, and turned to see Banton's Mercedes go into the pond. He rushed across the busy street, jumped into the pond, and swam to the rapidly sinking Mercedes to save the driver. Once Brazier reached the car and opened the door, it immediately capsized and sank to the bottom of the pond. "When I got to the guy, he was real scared, so I told him to calm down, " Brazier told the TCPalm newspaper. "I opened the door and got him out, he panicked, took us both under and then I hit the bottom, pushed ourselves back up." Brazier was assisted by another passerby named Charles Proulx, who waded into the pond to help the struggling men. Three Port Saint Lucie police detectives–Stephen Reuther, Peter Chunn, and Maiga Auguste–arrived soon after with a rescue ring and helped to pull the men out of the pond. Once everyone was ashore, salvage divers were brought in to locate the car and pull it out of the pond. Thanks to the murky water and the pond's surprising depth, roughly fifteen feet, it took divers nearly thirty minutes to locate the car. Later, at the police station, Banton said that he had yet to meet his rescuer. "Somebody I have yet to meet came in and helped me. He came to me and he said, 'I got you, I got you, are you ready?'" Banton said. "And he opened the door, and I just went out." Banton also stated that he could not swim, and that he would have died had Brazier not come to his aid. Soon after, the two were reintroduced under less stressful circumstances. News Source: TCPalm, Palm Beach Post, WPBF Government/Legal Weird Car News Kia Driving Safety Autoblog Minute accident