2008 Kia Lx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Almost Jeffersonian | 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Second Drive

On a drive of Kia's new Optima Plug-In Hybrid (in showrooms since April), we visited Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, our third president's sprawling estate in central Virginia. Even in the absence of Twitter, Jefferson enjoyed a restless curiosity about an array of subjects. While his day gigs – declaring independence and consummating the Louisiana Purchase – occupied much of his life, he always made time for intellectual pursuits and making daily life better, so we think he'd grasp the rightness of the Optima. In the science of the plug-in hybrid, there's little new. The combination of gas and electric motors is intended to reduce the carbon footprint of a conventional drivetrain. Add a motor, install more battery capacity and enable that battery to be recharged over a long lunch or overnight, and you have a plug-in hybrid with up to 29 miles of electric-only operation. With the gas tank included, you get roughly 600 miles of combined driving range. (That's DC to Atlanta, had Jefferson wanted to visit Atlanta.) Visually, there's little to distinguish this PHEV from a conventional Optima. Its alloy wheels are aerodynamically cleaner and front fascia less disruptive - and includes an active air flap, no less. The exterior design, though dated, still impresses. A spacious interior is what you'd expect from Kia. And so, regrettably, are some hard plastic surfaces. That plastic is appropriate in a $20,000 Soul, less so in a $40,000 Optima Plug-In. Nothing here is completely off-putting, and we've always liked Kia's integration of audio and A/C controls. But so much is good about the Optima that you expect something nicer as you slide behind the wheel. The front seats are both supportive and accessible. Our test vehicle, equipped with $5,250 of EX Technology, offered a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a power front passenger seat with adjustable lumbar, and heated outboard rear seats. That same package also includes a bundle of safety technology, including a forward collision warning system, advanced smart cruise control, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, and rear cross traffic alert. A modern hybrid generates a lot of info, and learning to access it all will require more than the few hours we had in the car. Your economy – the Optima's innate efficiency and your driving style – is available at the push (or two) of a button. And you can choose from all-electric EV or hybrid mode by using Kia's Mode Select control.

Recharge Wrap-up: Venturi seeks funding for speed record, Kia partners on V2G

Venturi Automobiles has started a crowdfunding campaign to help break an EV speed record. Venturi's goal, with the help of The Ohio State University, is to set a new FIA World Speed Record for Battery Powered Electric Vehicles of over 7000 pounds with its VBB-3. Venturi set the current record at 307 miles per hour, but wants to exceed that this September at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Funders can score merchandise like T-shirts, miniature models, and even their name on the side of the car. Learn more at Venturi Automobiles' Kickstarter page. Kia is providing six Soul EVs to UC Irvine's Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP). APEP is using the electric vehicles for the development of vehicle-to-grid technology and smart charging systems. Kia says the collaboration is helpful in its goals of expanding EVs over the next five years. "Grid-connected electric vehicles offer tremendous potential in terms of energy storage and dispersion during high-demand periods," says Kia VP of Product Planning Orth Hedrick, "and Kia is excited to collaborate with APEP in the study and development of advanced smart grid technologies." Read more from Kia, or at Green Car Congress. Daimler is launching its Mercedes-Benz Energy brand for stationary energy storage. Taking on the likes of Tesla with its Powerwall, Daimler began shipping battery packs for residential energy storage in Germany in April, with an eye toward solar systems. Now, with its new brand, the company looks to expand to the global market. "By founding Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH, we are underscoring our ambition to be a technological and market leader in the field of highly efficient storage systems," says Daimler's Harald Kroger. "With our unique combination of high standards of quality and safety and positive economies of scale, we are supporting the success of the new energy era while helping to make electromobility affordable." Read more in the press release below. Daimler Establishes Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH for Stationary Energy Storage Daimler AG is continuing to expand its network of expertise in the field of lithium-ion battery applications. Within this innovative line of business, the newly established Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH is assuming the development and global sale of Mercedes-Benz brand stationary energy storage with immediate effect. Thus, Daimler is focusing even more on the growing market for stationary batteries.

How automakers stand to benefit from Iran

The big global news of late is a deal that sees a number of major powers easing some sanctions on Iran in return for the Middle Eastern nation scaling back its nuclear program. This thawing of relations between Iran and the West could have far-reaching impacts in both the near and long term, particularly on the auto industry.
As Bloomberg points out, foreign manufacturers, especially Kia and Peugeot, stand to win big by this short-term easing of sanctions. But the impact of opening up the Iranian market to larger-scale sales cannot be underestimated - Peugeot, for example, sold 457,900 units to Iran in 2011 as spare parts kits alone. Opening the Iranian market could also have a huge impact on the cost of oil, as the country was one of the largest producers in the OPEC consortium before firmer sanctions took effect in 2012. Still, as David Cohen, US undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence said, it's "not open season now for business in Iran."
Bloomberg has an excellent report of all the near-term effects an easing of sanctions has across a number of industries. Hop over and give it a look.