2023 Kia Sportage Lx on 2040-cars

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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.

Electrify Expo is an all-electrified auto show like the old days

In late July, Autoblog swung by Washington, D.C. to check out the Electrify Expo. Now in its third year of nationwide shows, the Electrify Expo calls itself “North America's largest electric vehicle festival filled with over 1 million square feet of the world's top electric brands.” At every stop, visitors can find out about, crawl around in, drive and ride just about any personal conveyance that uses a battery for propulsion. Truth be told, when the show's PR team reached out to us with an invite, we only considered going after finding out about an area showcasing battery-electric tuner cars. EV tuning is undoubtedly going to be huge—eventually—which got us curious about these early days. We figured weÂ’d brave whatever the rest of the expo was to find out whatÂ’s the equivalent of nitrous for a Tesla. See, the EV event scene is still such that one never knows if theyÂ’ll show up to a mix of science and county fairs with a few cars on display just for truth in advertising, or if theyÂ’ll show up to a parking lot with 26 cars, 10 of them locked, 10 of them homemade, and 6 guarded by promotional hires desperate to tap all your identifying info a tablet before dispensing dubious and superficial information. Which is to say, we didnÂ’t expect much. And that makes us chuffed to report: Electrify Expo is great. We hadnÂ’t been strolling the lot outside the old RFK Stadium for five minutes before thinking, “This feels like an old-school auto show!” The exclamation to that point came from a group of four who cut me off to reach the C40 Recharge in the Volvo booth, one of them exclaiming as if he were the group expert and as if his friends were deaf, “THATÂ’S THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ONE! AND ITÂ’S BEEEE-YOUUUUU-TI-FULLLLLL!” I wasnÂ’t there to judge, I was there for the enthusiasm. Automakers had built small, simple, open booths, parked cars in them, then provided visitors the kind of interactions that will do the most good for anyone wondering about or interested in an EV. We only saw two cars that were off limits, the new Volkswagen ID.Buzz and the Ford F-100 Eluminator. Volvo wouldnÂ’t let me get an espresso from their chic little trailer, either, unless I visited the EX90 Experience trailer first. Otherwise, it was a free-for-all. Tesla had a large booth full of cars. BMW had two i7s open for everyone to sit in, next to the Ford booth with that Eluminator and an unlocked Mustang Mach-E GT and F-150 Lightning showing their cooler-chest-frunk trick.

2017 Kia Cadenza has new styling, greater efficiency

The current Kia Cadenza went on sale in the US in April 2013, and three years later a new generation arrives at the 2016 New York Auto Show. This isn't just a mild refresh of the existing sedan, either. The latest Cadenza hits showrooms in late 2016 with improved styling, a stiffer platform, and a more efficient engine. Kia is holding back the 2017 Cadenza's exact powertrain specs until closer to launch. The new sedan still uses a 3.3-liter V6, which now has an estimated 290 horsepower, and the company plans to retune the powerplant for better fuel economy. The sedan also has an eight-speed automatic gearbox rather than the present six-speed. The current Cadenza makes 293 hp and has EPA estimates of 19 miles per gallon city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. The model's lighter platform makes the most of the improved powertrain. The updated chassis now consists of over 50 percent Advanced High Strength Steel, which is twice as much as before. The 2017 model has the same length as its predecessor but a longer wheelbase that increases rear legroom by half an inch. Additional sound deadening and acoustic absorbing laminate for the windshield and front windows create a quieter interior, too. The 2017 Cadenza's styling is a more angular evolution of the current sedan's stodgy look, with sharper edges for Kia's tiger nose grille, which is now convex. The Cadenza's lower trim levels feature mesh in the center, but the more expensive versions have vertical fins (pictured above). The four-door also has Z-shaped signature lights in the headlights, and the same motif is on the taillights. The latest Cadenza's interior cossets occupants with more soft-touch materials and high-tech amenities. Customers can spec active safety systems like adaptive cruise control with stop and go, a forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning, and the Smart Blind Spot Detection System that can brake the wheels to keep from drifting toward an adjacent vehicle. The rapid replacement for the last Cadenza suggests Kia wants to stay relevant among large, front-wheel drive sedans, like the Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon, and Buick LaCrosse. The new styling at least makes the Kia look more interesting in the segment, and the updated powertrain makes sure the four-door keeps up in the class.