ID :
105987
Thu, 02/11/2010 - 11:18
Auther :

(LEAD) Kia unveils plug-in hybrid concept at Chicago fair


(ATTN: ADDS details in final four paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest
automaker, showed off Thursday a prototype of a hybrid vehicle that can be
recharged at a standard outlet and run on both a gasoline engine and an electric
motor.

The Ray plug-in hybrid is still in the concept stage, but it is the first time
that Kia, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., has unveiled such a vehicle.
The stylish Ray, introduced at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show this week, is designed
to reach driving distances of more than 50 miles (80.46 kilometers) on one
battery charge, Kia said in a statement.
"It is important to imagine what people will want in the future from a green
perspective early in the design process, because people want to reduce their
carbon footprint without driving carbon copies," said Peter Schreyer, chief
design officer of Kia, in the statement.
"Being green doesn't have to be an obvious statement anymore and the Kia Ray
exemplifies a viable blend of modern, eco-minded features for today's
environmentally conscious consumers," Schreyer said.
Kia did not disclose information on when it plans to bring the Ray to the market.
The four-seat Ray sedan has a fuel economy rating of more than 202 miles per
gallon (3.78 liters), according to the statement.
Inside, it features clean, flush surfaces minimizing any unneeded edges, a
flowing profile and pronounced rear shoulder ending in a slightly high deck lid
for reduced drag.
Also, the Ray boasts what the company calls "cool-glazing" roof-top solar glass,
solar sells embedded in the glass roof panel that power extra lighting or climate
control systems.
Last year, Kia posted a record net profit of 1.45 trillion won (US$1.25 billion),
helped by stimulus packages by governments worldwide to spur auto demand.
Kia's 2009 revenue rose 12.4 percent from a year ago to 18.4 trillion won. Its
auto sales gained 9.6 percent to 1.53 million vehicles.
(END)

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