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2021 Kia Sedona's new look revealed as Korean-market Carnival

Last week, Kia showed teaser sketches of the next-generation Carnival, which we'll get as the 2021 Kia Sedona. Now the company has released actual photos of the minivan with the Carnival nameplate. No other information about powertrains or features have been announced, but there's plenty in the design to take a look at. Overall, the Sedona has a boxy, upright design seemingly more inspired by crossovers than traditional minivans. The low ride height and tall body do give it away as a van, though. Other crossover design cues include the faux skid plate panels on the front and rear bumpers. Look closer, and you find some really fascinating details across the van. At the front, you find an intricate variation on the Kia "Tiger Nose" grille with intersecting chrome diamonds. You'll also find that the LED running lights run out from the headlights and down the lower section of the grille surround. Hidden just inside the grille are the high beams for the headlights, and the lights each have chrome eyebrows. Along the side, a strong shoulder line blends into the door sliders, and the C-pillar is the most prominent of any modern Kia. It has a sort of chrome or aluminum finish with a light diamond cross-hatched pattern molded into it. At the back, there's a full-width taillight housing with LED elements. In the middle section, there are little chrome highlights just behind the red plastic adding another fine detail to admire. As previously mentioned, Kia only revealed photos of the new van, and no information on what's powering it or what other features it will have. It could continue using the 276-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 in the current Sedona, or it could upgrade to the 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 from the Telluride. There's also the possibility of using a turbocharged four-cylinder or possibly both a four-cylinder and a V6 depending on trim levels. We should know more closer to the on-sale date. It goes on sale first in South Korea at the end of the year's third quarter and other markets some time after. Related Video:    

Here are all the EVs with 800V charging available in 2024

As technology advances, electric cars are improving their fast-charging times. That means less time spent waiting at a DC public charger when you’re out on the road. While Level 3 chargers used to provide a maximum of 150 kilowatts of power, 350-kW chargers are become more common, making for super-fast charging Â… if your car is capable of taking advantage of it. So how do automakers improve the charging speed of their EV batteries? Some are turning to higher voltage, specifically 800V charging. What's the difference between 800-volt charging and 400-volt charging? So how does 800V charging improve upon the more common 400V EVs? Put simply, the higher the voltage, the less amperage (current) it requires to charge. In other words, with more voltage, you get more wattage (power, aka charge rate) from the same amperage (current). 800V architecture is also more efficient, with less electrical resistance, so it can use thinner cables and smaller, lighter components while needing less cooling. The tradeoff is that it is more costly, and guess who that cost gets passed on to. While automakers don't break down their pricing to show how much more you're paying for that 800V system, you'll just have to evaluate any potential purchases as a whole, and make your decision based on overall pricing of the vehicle. Thankfully, the 800V EVs on sale now are generally ones we like. Now, 800V charging capability doesn't necessarily mean an EV has 800V vehicle architecture. For instance, the GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Silverado EV operate at 400V, but with their dual battery packs, can switch to 800V when charging by temporarily connecting those packs in series. Currently, there are only a handful of EVs available with 800V charging. But if you are going to find yourself taking longer trips in your EV and using DC fast chargers more often, you might want to consider choosing one with this faster charging capability. With that in mind, these are the EVs available with 800V charging, either on sale now or coming in 2024. 800-volt EVs available in 2024 Audi E-Tron GT Chevrolet Silverado EV Genesis GV60 Genesis Electrified G80 Genesis Electrified GV70 GMC Hummer EV Pickup GMC Hummer EV SUV GMC Sierra EV* Hyundai Ioniq 5 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Kia EV6 Kia EV9 Lotus Eletre* Lotus Emeya* Lucid Air Lucid Gravity* Porsche Macan Electric* Porsche Taycan Ram 1500 REV* Tesla Cybertruck *Coming later in 2024 Green Audi Chevrolet Genesis GMC Hyundai Kia Lotus Porsche Tesla Electric Lucid EV charging

Hyundai-Kia names former Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley designer as design chief

Luc Donckerwolke, former designer for both Bentley, Audi and Lamborghini, is succeeding Peter Schreyer as the lead designer for both Hyundai and Kia. This follows a significant shuffle within the Korean automaker's upper management. Schreyer — himself a former Volkswagen Group designer — will head design management. Chung Eui-sun, the son of company chairman and CEO Chung Mong-koo, was promoted as executive vice chairman. The head of Hyundai Motor America, Kyung Soo-lee, is leaving his position after just more than a year on the job. That's a lot of moving pieces at the top of Korea's largest automaker. Donckerwolke has been with Hyundai-Kia since 2015 when he left the Volkswagen Group to take over Genesis design. Some of his most famous designs include the Lamborghini Murcielago, Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley Flying Spur and Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6. Schreyer led the design of the original Audi TT and has helped push forward Hyundai and Kia. The pair's influence can be seen and felt throughout the company's lineup. According to Reuters, part of the shakeup within the leadership follows a company announcement that third-quarter profits have fallen, sending shares to their lowest level in nine years. Related Video: