2022 Kia K5 Gt-line on 2040-cars

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Kia teases K5/Optima again, in two different ways

When Kia teased a drawing of the third-generation K5 sedan for the Korean market — our Kia Optima — the pictured red sedan adopted a fastback shape and detailing somewhere in between evolution and revolution. The South Korean automaker has teased the K5 a second time with two different takes on the next-gen four-door, one of them tipped all the way to the side of revolution, the other presenting a refined evolution. The revolutionary takes (second and third in the gallery above) look as if the spirit of SEMA bled across the Pacific to Seoul. In these two drawings, the K5 has been lowered, widened, given a jutting front fascia rife with intakes, set on giant wheels with rubber-band tires, and slathered in color-shifting violet and lavender paint. The leanness makes the family sedan look more like a coupe, especially from the hippy and winged rear three-quarter.  The evolutionary take (the silver car that's first in the gallery), found on Kia's Korean site, looks more like the car everyone has a chance of getting. The drawing provides a handsome basis for the exaggerations in the other renderings; everything's here from the SEMA-fied version, only toned down. We gather that, on the outside, designers intend to make their statement with the sheetmetal behind the B-pillar. The lines create a fastback profile, stressed by the chrome cradle running from one A-pillar, around the backlight to the other A-pillar. If the shutlines are accurate, the decklid will be split by a dark portion that acts to extend the rear window graphic and a body-colored panel. Racy vents aft of the rear wheels tie into wide chrome exhaust finishers and a prominent, slatted diffuser.  Kia's thrown a lot of copy at what it's going for with the next K5/Optima, talking about the "evolution of dynamics" and noting how this car will turn the "Tiger Grille" into the "Tiger Face." Part of that involves merging elements of the grille and headlights into a more organic piece. The K5 looks like it will adopt a restrained version of the new headlight-grille combination recently shown on the redesigned Hyundai Grandeur (our Azera, no longer on sale here). We'll be seeing more of it in the future.

Kia Soul EV fitted with wireless charging

As the industry continues to build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure, parallel projects are working to improve it as quickly as it's deployed. Now we're seeing some groups launching fast charging stations capable of 350-kW, and more. Meanwhile, wireless charging is making advances, which would allow drivers to simply park and charge without fussing with a cable. Kia is the latest to test inductive charging, and has announced that it has deployed a fleet of Soul EVs capable of recharging wirelessly. The three-year project — a partnership between the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center, wireless charging company Mojo Mobility and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) — culminated in the system being equipped to five vehicles and tested in real-world environments. The system uses electromagnetic fields transmitted between a transmitter coil on the ground and a receiver on the bottom of the car to transfer energy. It can charge at over 10 kW, with 85 percent grid-to-vehicle efficiency. Kia adds that because the system is so efficient, it can still charge even if there is some misalignment between the two coils. That means an imperfect parking job doesn't mean the car won't charge. Other automakers are also testing wireless charging, and BMW plans to offer it on a limited basis in the U.S. for its 530e plug-in hybrid. Kia is not making any promises to customers yet, though. "There is no current plan to offer the wireless charging system on production vehicles for sale to consumers," Kia stated in its press release, "however, the success of this development project suggests similar systems are possible on future Kia electric vehicles." Wireless charging could play well with other technology for Kia. For instance, it would be a boon for autonomous efforts, which the Korean automaker has begun undertaking with the testing of self-driving Soul EVs in Nevada. Wireless charging means an autonomous Kia could not only drive and park itself, but also take care of its own charging duties. Related Video: Related Gallery Kia Soul EV Autonomous Testing in Nevada News Source: Kia Green Kia Technology Emerging Technologies Hatchback Electric doe wireless charging inductive charging eere

Behold, Kia's Space Babies Super Bowl commercial

Kia is out to answer life's big questions in its ad for the upcoming Super Bowl. Questions like: Where do babies come from? The spot follows one father as he spins a tale to shield his young son from the world of adult truths. The story starts on planet Babylandia, where infants of every species live in peaceful coexistence until they're called to Earth. When that happens, the adorable little beings suit up and take a nine-month journey through space to their new home before parachuting from the heavens. Sure beats that tired old stork yarn.
Oh, and we forgot to mention there's a 2014 Kia Sorento in the spot as well. You can check out the whole shindig below for a quick chuckle. Expect to see the spot air during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, and keep your eyes peeled for the new Forte spot. We hear tell that ad features Alyssa Campanella in a robot get up. No, we don't get it either.