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South Korea firms up fuel economy regs following Hyundai/Kia debacle

According to a report from Reuters, South Korea's government has drafted strict new rules for automakers to follow when calculating fuel economy. The legislation comes after a major snafu by Hyundai and Kia that resulted in the automakers lowering the estimated fuel mileage of many popular models - some by several miles per gallon, including the Soul subcompact above - and compensating owners in the US and Canada for the reduction.
The new fuel economy rules were announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in South Korea and will see average mileage ratings drop by roughly three to five percent, according to the report. In addition, manufacturers found guilty of overstating mileage figures will be liable for fines of up to $900,000.
These sweeping new regulations will go into effect in the second half of 2013 and, while they won't have any effect on EPA estimates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the United States, they are expected to result in new ratings for the two automakers in their home market of South Korea, where they enjoy a whopping 70-percent market share.

Kia Sedona shows off new 'comfortable and futuristic' interior

Last month Kia coined a new, fourth-generation minivan and the term "Grand Utility Vehicle" to go with it. Known as the Carnival in its home market of South Korea, and as the Sedona here, Kia's given us a look at the "comfortable and futuristic" interior we can expect when the model goes on sale. We like the current Sedona, but the imminent upgrade is immediately clear and comprehensive even in photos. The automaker calls the interior design theme "Spatial Talents," which sounds like a superpower your home mover or the guy at U-haul has, but it refers to the how designers made the most of a slightly larger body and roomier interior. The minivan's wheelbase grows 1.2 inches, overall length extends by 1.6 inches, 1.2 of that being rear overhang, and width gets an extra pip of 0.4 inches. Depending on market, seating arrangements for seven, nine or 11 people will provide more room for every occupant in every row. The star draw is the instrument panel, where Kia placed the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screen in a cohesive enclosure under a single pane of glass. A full-width horizontal band separates the upper and lower areas of the instrument panel, vents tucked discreetly into the contrasting divider. Below that, dedicated buttons and another screen offer radio and climate controls, a shift-by-wire rotary knob set atop the transmission tunnel where a bulkier shift lever currently sits. More upscale materials are laid throughout the cabin. Second-row passengers benefit from new USB outlets on the front seatbacks, nets to hold electronic devices, and a storage drawer at the base of the rear console.     The only engine available in our Sedona is a 3.3-liter V6 with 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. The next-gen Sedona will likely follow the powertrain lead of the new Sorento. That means a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder putting out around 277 horsepower and 310 pound-feet, and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid with 227 hp and 259 lb-ft.   The Carnival goes on in South Korea in the third quarter of this year, with rollout to global market following that. Related Video:

7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.