2014 Kia Optima Ex on 2040-cars

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South Korea firms up fuel economy regs following Hyundai/Kia debacle

According to a report from Reuters, South Korea's government has drafted strict new rules for automakers to follow when calculating fuel economy. The legislation comes after a major snafu by Hyundai and Kia that resulted in the automakers lowering the estimated fuel mileage of many popular models - some by several miles per gallon, including the Soul subcompact above - and compensating owners in the US and Canada for the reduction.
The new fuel economy rules were announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in South Korea and will see average mileage ratings drop by roughly three to five percent, according to the report. In addition, manufacturers found guilty of overstating mileage figures will be liable for fines of up to $900,000.
These sweeping new regulations will go into effect in the second half of 2013 and, while they won't have any effect on EPA estimates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the United States, they are expected to result in new ratings for the two automakers in their home market of South Korea, where they enjoy a whopping 70-percent market share.

Recharge Wrap-up: Kia Soul EV, Renault Zoe range boosts

California has removed its limit on the number of HOV lane access stickers available for plug-in hybrids. While the state removed limits for white stickers for solo drivers of battery electric vehicles to use the carpool lane, the green stickers for PHEVs and range-extended EVs had a limit of 85,000, which was reached months ago. Now, BEVs and PHEVs will each have an unlimited number of access stickers until the program expires on January 1, 2019. Read more at Green Car Reports. Kia could improve the driving range of the Soul EV in order to better compete with newer offerings. While its 93-mile range was competitive with most EVs when it was launched as a 2015 model, the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 have since surpassed it, and other forthcoming affordable EVs like the Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3 will set the bar even higher. As such, Autocar says the Soul EV should get a range boost with a mid-cycle refresh for the 2018 model year. Read more at Autocar, and at Green Car Reports. Renault said to be set to unveil a new Zoe EV with a driving range of over 200 miles. With a debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, the popular European EV hatchback will about double its current range. Using a new battery pack from LG Chem, as well as a smaller, more efficient electric motor, the improved range would help make the Zoe even more popular as people make the switch to electric driving in Europe. Read more from Electrek. Related Gallery 2016 Renault Zoe Z.E.: Geneva 2016 View 16 Photos News Source: Green Car Reports, Green Car Reports, Autocar, ElectrekImage Credit: Kia Government/Legal Green Kia Renault Electric recharge wrapup

Kia says fewer than 30% of its dealers will get 2015 K900

Kia is moving into unknown territory with its $60,000 K900 luxury sedan in many ways. Not only will it act as the company's flagship model, it will be the Korean brand's first in the US with rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine. The first batch will hit showrooms in March, but according to Edmunds, it will be a soft launch in some ways, because only around 30 percent of dealers have paid a premium to sell the plush ride.
Kia has sent the selected dealers back to school to make sure they are prepared to sell the K900 to the industry's famously finicky luxury sedan buyers. The company believes its flagship model will be "a catalyst in support of our long-term strategy to elevate the ownership experience," said James Hope, Kia's National Manager for product communications, to Autoblog in an email. According to Edmunds, the dealers paid about $30,000 each in required training, tools and showroom displays. It wants the improvements to "shift the culture" in its dealers to be ready to welcome luxury buyers, according to Hope. Kia Director of Public Relations Scott McKee told Autoblog that the brand expects buyers to be "independent thinkers" from a blend of current Kia owners stepping up to the K900 and conquests from other luxury brands.
Kia has been slowly building awareness of the K900, especially with its Super Bowl ad, but it still has a long road ahead of it to prove what makes it crown jewel different. The company believes more dealers will sign up to sell it once public awareness for the new sedan grows. "There has never been a better time to challenge the status quo," said Hope. Also, a V6 model will launch in the future at a lower price, which should bring more people into the updated showrooms. Given what Kia has accomplished in the US in the last 20 years, it would be foolish to count the K900 out, but that doesn't mean it will be easy to break into the luxury sedan market.