Kia unveils plug-in hybrid concept at Chicago fair

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.
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