2003 Kia Spectra Gsx 5 Speed 4 Cyl. Gas Saver on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Hyundai and Kia rethinking diesel for US, BMW i partners with Soho House

Hyundai and Kia are once again considering bringing diesel vehicles to the US. "It's something that's a strong consideration for us at this point," says John Juriga of Hyundai/Kia America. Diesel would help the group meet future fuel economy standards. While the obstacles that previously kept the brands from bringing diesel to the US in the past still exist, Juriga says they see a "more direct path" to making diesel work for them. Hyundai and Kia are also considering introducing cylinder deactivation, plug-in hybrids and 9- and 10-speed transmissions to reach fuel economy targets. Read more at Wards Auto. BMW's i division is teaming up with Soho House as its official automotive partner. BMW will provide i3 EVs for the private club's members and guests to use. The two groups will also host events together focused on art, design and innovation, beginning with an art talk called, "The Naked Truth? Nudity, fashion, and the photographic image today." According to BMW's Steven Althaus, the two brands are a great match. "BMW i and Soho House share a common mindset: both brands strive for innovation, creativity as well as a special sense for aesthetic setting new design standards," Althaus says, "What I look forward to most about our partnership is our determination to create memorable and sophisticated experiences together." Read more in the press release below. Foodlogica aims to reduce the environmental impact of food transport in Amsterdam using solar powered electric trikes. The trikes deliver food to local businesses and restaurants, a job usually done by air-polluting diesel trucks. The electric trikes feature cargo boxes that can hold 47 cubic feet or about 660 pounds of food. The trikes are stored in a shipping container fitted with solar panels, which charges them when they're not in use. By delivering food using solar and human power, Foodlogica is helping taking pollution and traffic congestion out of the "last mile" of food transport in Amsterdam. Get hungry and read more at Treehugger. An organization called Ten9 wants to get 1 billion people using sustainable transportation by 2025. Ten9 is a coalition of organizations that are trying to get transportation to that "tipping point" through technology, policy and good ideas. Ten9 wants to get Tesla CEO Elon Musk on board, as well as other business and technology leaders and world leaders.

Kia argues the coronavirus pandemic will leave a mark on car design

Shared and connected, the toaster-shaped concepts paraded in front of CES attendees each year look like rolling germ incubators in a year marred by a global pandemic. Digitally hitching a ride with four or five perfect strangers suddenly seems like a good way to get sick, and one of Kia's top executives argued that, in the coming years, automakers will need to rethink the way they design car interiors to address the public's lingering fears. "We're going to have talks with psychologists and anthropologists to really understand how the public's psyche is going to be in the future. There are things we've already been talking about: Can we have anti-viral coatings in our interiors? Can you use temperature or ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces? These are things we will have to talk about rather soon," affirmed Karim Habib, Kia's design chief, during an interview with British magazine Car. He brought up the possibility of developing new, germ-repellent materials Kia could use to manufacture door handles, gear selectors, steering wheels, and other common touch points. And, he called into question the various car-sharing programs some companies have poured millions of dollars into in recent years. "What does this mean for cars? I think we'll have to wait and see. Right now, we are trying to expand our understanding of what this might mean, not only for the types of vehicles we drive, but also how to design vehicles for shared mobility, or not, as the case may be," he explained. Sister company Hyundai is trying to answer the same questions. It's experimenting with ways to beam ultraviolet rays from the dome light to kill viruses in car interiors. COVID-19 comes to mind, but this technology can -- in theory -- zap other infectious agents. The issue, as we reported, is that UV light harms human skin, so it would only have to be blasted into the cabin when no one is in the car. There's no word on when Hyundai will put this technology in a car, or whether it will reach production, but it's already used globally in the medical sector. Ford is taking a different approach to killing germs. It released software that bakes viruses by heating the cabin to about 133 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. This feature is only available on the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility as of writing, though the company plans to add it to other models sooner or later. "So, yes: COVID-19 will very much influence the way we design our cars in the future," Habib concluded. Kia

WTF China? Why copy the Kia Picanto for anything?

While we certainly don't condone it, we at least get why Chinese companies copy the work of global automakers. It's all about the prestige in the China, and when versions of expensive imports can be had from a cheaper, domestically built automaker, it's clear where the money will go. But of all the prestigious, luxurious, handsome, high-performance vehicles for a Chinese automaker to rip off, why in the name of Chairman Mao did they choose a Kia Picanto? For those not in the know, the Picanto is a tiny city car that'd slot in below the Rio, were it sold in the US market. It's a fine car for what it is, but hardly one that is so packed full of innovative, handsome styling that makes sense to copycat, even if it isn't actually sold in the People's Republic. But that's just what Yogomo has done, with the new 330 electric car. While the real McCoy is a proper car, complete with a range of gas engines, the electric 330 is what's known in China as a low-speed electric vehicle – despite its size, according to Car News China, it can't be used on highways and is not eligible for the PRC's green subsidies. While most copycat designs are pretty flagrant, they're easily discernible from the cars on which they're based. That's not the case with the Yogomo 330, though. The mirrors are different, sure, and the grille, while roughly the same shape, isn't as exact the trademark Kia grille. But beyond that, the design is virtually identical, and that's sure to ruffle the feathers of copyright lawyers in South Korea. Head over to CNC for a look at the Yogomo's copycatting efforts. Featured Gallery Yogomo 330 EV Related Gallery 2015 Kia Picanto News Source: Car News ChinaImage Credit: Kia Government/Legal Green Kia