2014 Kia Soul + on 2040-cars

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Kia continues Ecology Center support, donates Soul EV

Kia is reaffirming its green side by continuing its support of The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, CA. In addition to events at the company's American headquarters in Irvine, CA, the Korean automaker is donating a Soul EV for the non-profit organization to use. The Center's goal is to educate the people of Southern California in food, water supply and energy conservation. This is the third year of Kia's partnership with the group. The Soul EV should go perfectly with last year's donation of two charging stations, too. To get people motivated about the environment, the Center offers events like film screenings, classes, and camps for kids. After it hit the market late last year, the Soul EV has proven reasonably popular. Sales started exclusive to California, but Kia recently decided to broaden the offering to Texas, Georgia, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. The electric hatchback offers drivers 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque with an official 93-mile range from a 27-kWh, lithium-ion battery. KIA MOTORS AMERICA RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER AND PROVIDES SOUL EV TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS Automaker's "Visionary" Sponsorship of San Juan Capistrano-Based Eco-Education Center Supports Awareness and Education about Food, Water Supply and Energy Conservation Partnership with The Ecology Center supports Kia's diverse corporate sustainability practices Two electric vehicle charging stations available at The Ecology Center IRVINE, Calif., June 23, 2015 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the renewal of its partnership with The Ecology Center, a San Juan Capistrano, California-based non-profit eco-education center dedicated to creating a healthy and abundant future for all of Southern California and beyond. In its third year as a "Visionary" partner, Kia is providing the use of a 2015 Soul EV to The Ecology Center, which complements the two electric vehicle charging stations installed as part of the partnership last year. Kia and The Ecology Center will organize and carry out sustainability-themed learning projects at the KMA campus in Irvine, California, and in the surrounding community, and both organizations will continue work together to plan hands-on conservation and volunteer activities at The Center.

Kia goes Rebel with Forte Mud Bogger for SEMA

Kia is planning a raft of six custom creations for the SEMA show this year, each representing a different region of the United States. Just the other day we brought you a teaser showing off the Sorento built for adventure to represent the Pacific region. Now the Korean automaker is giving us a glimpse at the next addition to the lineup. Based on the Forte Koup is this Mud Bogger concept, representin' the Dirty South "and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels." It's got a suspension lifted by four inches, 28-inch off-road tires, riveted fender flares, a panoramic vinyl roof panel, and a stripped-down interior. The seats have been replaced by a pair of Sparco racing buckets, the carpet's been removed and replaced with a spray-on bed-liner, and a full roll cage has been fitted and powder-coated to match the white wheels and brush guard. Scope it out in the teaser video, and watch this space for more on the rest of Kia's localized lineup for the Vegas tuner expo. FORTE KOUP MUD BOGGER Kia returns to SEMA this year embracing the spirit of adventure found on the open road with six highly customized, hand-built concepts, each showcasing unique geographic regions found throughout the country. Bringing to life the various car cultures that help define America's love of the automobile, here's a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Forte Koup Mud Bogger, representing the adventurous American South and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels. Giving this one-of-a-kind Koup the clearance to tackle extreme terrain started with a generous four-inch body and suspension lift along with meaty 28-in. off-road tires. To further accommodate the massive wheel and tire combo, the fenders and side skirts were modified and custom riveted fender flares added. A panoramic roof with a vinyl pushback top gives way to the stripped-down interior where the carpet has been removed and the entire floor is lined with Line-X protective coating. The stock seats of the Forte Koup have also been replaced with two Sparco Evo II Red Race Seats and the Forte Koup Mud Bogger incorporates a hand-built roll cage powder coated white to match the wheels. This Kia with a southern flare is purpose-built for off-road fun that takes you down the road less traveled. News Source: Kia Aftermarket SEMA Show Kia Coupe Off-Road Vehicles kia forte SEMA 2015 kia forte koup

Hyundai and Kia introduce new predictive transmission tech

Hyundai and Kia have announced that the two have developed a new transmission control system that optimizes shift logic to both improve efficiency and reduce "gear hunting." The system utilizes real-time traffic data, built-in 3D navigation and the same sensors that feed the cars' advanced safety and driver assist tech to proactively choose the right gear — even neutral in some cases — to reduce both fuel consumption and wear-and-tear. The Korean sister brands call it the "Information Communication Technology Connected Shift System," or "ICT" for short, and Hyundai says it delivers not just improved frugality, but a better all-around driving experience. ICT programming allows the transmission control unit to collect and interpret traffic, camera, sensor, navigation route, elevation and topographical data.  "Using all of these inputs, the TCU predicts the optimal shift scenario for real-time driving situations through an artificial intelligence algorithm and shifts the gears accordingly," the announcement said. "For example, when a relatively long slow down is expected and radar detects no speed irregularities with the car ahead, the transmission clutch temporarily switches to neutral mode to improve fuel efficiency." While this sounds like a primarily green play, there are quality-of-life improvements too. For example, ICT can also optimize gear selection and shift points for safer highway merges, effectively implementing the equivalent of a "Sport Mode" driving profile when a little extra punch is called for.  Hyundai says the resulting decrease in shifts was significant; in some test scenarios, such as roads with lots of curves, the number of shifts executed by the transmission was reduced by almost half. As an added bonus, these vehicles also utilized their brakes less often (11%), which would reduce wear (and accompanying maintenance costs) over time.  ICT is somewhat future-proof, too, as it was developed to incorporate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) data should such networks improve down the line.  The announcement did not say when the new tech would reach customers, committing only to introducing the technology "on future vehicles." If we're betting, the smart money says it will probably on a new Genesis model and trickle down from there. Related Video: