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Kia, Hyundai working on wireless charging with Mojo Mobility

Last month, Kia started expanding US sales of its Soul EV electric vehicle outside California and into Texas, Georgia, Oregon, and Washington. Now, the South Korea-based automaker is making it a little easier for residents of those states to charge up those cars. Much of the early focus, naturally, is on the always-green-minded Pacific Northwest. Kia Motors America is working with a company called Greenlots to build Level 2 and fast-charging stations at Kia dealerships. Specifically, about 30 fast-charging stations will be deployed at 21 dealerships throughout those four states. Those stations can get a Kia Soul EV 80-percent charged in about a half hour. The EVs can go about 93 miles on a full charge. Including Level 2 stations, about 40 stations will be added in the Pacific Northwest alone. The idea is to make sure folks in both the Seattle and Portland areas feel secure about their ability to charge their cars throughout the region. Additionally, Kia and its sister automaker Hyundai are working with another company called Mojo Mobility to develop a wireless plug-in vehicle charging system, Hybrid Cars reports. The companies received funding from the US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program, and have so far found that those wireless stations can charge at about 92-percent efficiency. No timeline has been disclosed as far as when those stations will start being available to the public, but folks in the Pacific Northwest are sure to welcome them, perhaps in time for the Soul EV 2.0. Related Video: Show full PR text KIA MOTORS AMERICA RAMPS UP SOUL EV INFRASTRUCTURE IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON Soul EV coming to a total of 20 dealers in the Pacific Northwest; 12 in Washington1 and eight in Oregon2 Kia increases fast-charger network in the region with 10 new chargers IRVINE, Calif., July 8, 2015 – Kia Motors America (KMA) is continuing its progressive launch of the Soul EV and adding to the electric vehicle ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest with 20 Soul EV-certified dealers and a robust charging network. Of the 20 dealers in the region, 12 will be located in Washington and eight in Oregon. In addition to each being equipped with two Level-2 chargers (40 total in the PNW region), 10 of the dealers will also be up-fitted with DC fast chargers, increasing Kia's overall network of fast-charging stations. As an added value, select Kia dealers will allow Soul EV owners to charge their electrified urban runabout at no cost3.

Kia recalls over 50k new Soul compacts over steering issue

Kia is recalling certain 2014 models of its adorable Soul due to a bad adhesive used in the steering system. According to the bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the "thread-locking adhesive" that attaches the plug between the pinion gear and steering gear assembly could come loose.
Should that happen, the condition could lead to a "loss of steering," which, of course increases the likelihood of a crash. The 51,641 affected cars were built between July 21, 2013 and January 17, 2014. There have been no reported accidents, let alone injuries or deaths due to this issue.
Kia is in the process of notifying owners of the affected vehicles as well as dealers in possession of the faulty Souls.

2016 Kia Optima 2.0T Quick Spin [w/video]

Kia might live under the corporate shadow of parent company Hyundai, but don't confuse the Kia Optima for a rebadged Hyundai Sonata. That hasn't been the case for years, and the new 2016 Optima is more of its own car than ever before. Yes, both cars share a 110.4-inch wheelbase and 191.1-inch length, two engines, and under-the-skin hardware components. But you wouldn't know they were related just by looking – or by driving. In addition to the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, Kia offers a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four on the base end, and a 1.6-liter turbo-four aimed at higher fuel economy. For more on those powertrains, stay tuned for our full First Drive story coming in a few days. My drive time in the Optima focused mostly on the 2.0-liter turbo-equipped version, in loaded trim. Sure, I drove the fancy one, but this car feels so refined that Toyota should be worried. Driving Notes 2.0-liter turbo models use a rack-mounted steering assist motor, compared to the column mounted unit paired to other engines. It's a costly upgrade for Kia, but it offers better feedback and steering feel. Kia firsts include automous emergency braking, and high-intensity discarge headlamps with active cornering and automatic high beams. I didn't have a chance to try either feature, but I can tell you the adaptive cruise control works with minimal frustration. Another new item, first used on the Sorento, is Harmon Kardon Clari-fi digital music restoration, which claims to improve the sound quality of compressed music. I sampled the optional 14-speaker, 630-watt system with some 320 kbps MP3 files over the USB input and was amazed by the clarity and sound quality. The interior layout, with its horizontal swatch of buttons on the dash, is a clean and refreshing. It's a welcome break from more over-styled sedans that sacrifice swoopy contours for functionality. Kia focused on quality materials and feel. The push-button start is metal, models with the panoramic sunroof get ceiling mood lighting with rear LED reading lamps, and top-of-the-line SXL come with nappa leather. It goes a long way to justify the SXL's base price of $36,615. This car is quiet. The roads outside of Las Vegas are smooth, but the desert sun leaves the surface pockmarked. That's usually a recipe for tire noise, but I didn't hear any hum. Kia's product planners gave credit to the Michelin tires. I'll have to sample the car on some worse roads before giving a final impression.