2015 Kia Sorento Lx on 2040-cars

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Hyundai and Kia to update EV brake lights; our tests show how they currently may not come on

Update: This article has been updated to reflect Kia's own service campaign announcement.  Hyundai will be launching a "field service campaign to update the EV brake light logic" on its Ioniq 5 as well as the Genesis GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified GV80. According to Hyundai's director of communications, Michael Stewart, the change will be make to new production vehicles and as part of free-of-charge service campaign that will launch in July for approximately 56,000 vehicles already on the road.  "Regardless of the accelerator pedal input, the brake lights will now turn on when the deceleration rate exceeds approximately 0.13 G," Stewart wrote in an e-mail to Autoblog. Since this article was originally published, Kia has announced it will be performing the same update to its EV6 and Niro EV. Kia is also part of the Hyundai Group. This change would seem to be in keeping with the behavior we have experienced in the Hyundai Ioniq 6, the firm's most recently introduced EV. We go into that behavior lower in this article.  This announcement comes in the wake of owner complaints as well as a test by Consumer Reports that found that most Hyundai, Genesis and Kia electric vehicles can come to a stop without their brake lights illuminating. This occurred when using those vehicles' most aggressive "i-Pedal" function that allows for so-called "one-pedal driving" where the driver can mostly rely upon the car's regenerative braking system (which is used to replenish the battery pack) to stop the car.  We tested this for ourselves this week as we are currently testing a Genesis Electrified GV70, and I personally own a 2023 Kia Niro EV Wave. I almost exclusively drive in i-Pedal mode. News Editor Joel Stocksdale tested the Hyundai Ioniq 6 in Michigan, and again, we will address his findings after the Genesis and Kia as they are completely different. I attached an action camera to the rear of each car and conducted the same test in both: Accelerate to 40 mph and come to a stop without touching the brake and, crucially, without lifting my foot fully off the throttle. The result as you can see below with the Niro is that the brake lights do not come on until around 3 mph when I fully lifted off the throttle and bring the car to a full stop. I could not bring the car to a full stop without fully lifting off the throttle.

Hyundai will launch 26 green models through 2020

Hyundai Motor Group, which comprises both Hyundai and Kia, believes that launching a blitz of 26 green models through 2020 could place the Korean automaker among the leaders in the segment. Only Toyota would be larger in the electrified vehicle market, if Hyundai Motor's plan works, Automotive News reports. The 26 models run the gamut of the green car field, and they include at least 12 hybrids, six PHEVs, two EVs, and two hydrogen fuel cells, according to Automotive News. If customers latch onto them, Hyundai and Kia could move as many as 300,000 electrified vehicles a year by 2020 versus about 43,000 in 2015. Kia is responsible for at least 11 of these vehicles like the upcoming Niro crossover. Meanwhile, Hyundai wants the upcoming Ioniq (above) to challenge the Toyota Prius, and the Korean company has hybrid, PHEV, and EV versions on the way. To save money on the development of so many electrified vehicles, Hyundai Motor uses shared components. "For example, all our electric motors have the same diameter," Lee Ki-Sang, Hyundai's green powertrain boss, told Automotive News. "The power output is different, but we can just adjust the width of the core winding. Or for the motor controller, we standardized to use the same printed circuit boards." Trying to go from a relatively small player to a market leader is an audacious move, but it's especially risky right now. Gas prices are the cheapest in 12 years in the US, and green car sales are down in the US and in Europe. Toyota even predicts the inexpensive fuel could cut into Prius sales, and it's far more established than Hyundai's models. The South Korean company could have an even tougher time because these efficient vehicles still lose money for now. "Our target is before 2020, we would like to make profits on these eco-friendly vehicles," Lee told Automotive News. Related Video:

Kia recalling 377k Sorentos that can accidentally shift out of park

Kia has announced that it will recall 377,000 Sorento crossovers built between October 19, 2009 and January 31, 2013, which equates to model years 2011 through 2013. The affected vehicles may suffer failure in the brake-shift interlock mechanism. Put enough force on the lever and the interlock will crack or chip. Once that happens, the Sorento can be shifted out of park without stepping on the brakes. That's bad news for safety, and as the National Highway Traffic Safety Association bulletin notes, it's a violation the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards on theft protection. Naturally, Kia will notify owners of the affected vehicles and ask them to report to dealers for a new brake-shift interlock mechanism. Repairs will be carried out free of charge. The official start date of the recall is November 24. Read on for the official press release from Kia. RECALL Subject : Brake-Shift Interlock Mechanism Can Chip or Crack Report Receipt Date: OCT 06, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V626000 Component(s): POWER TRAIN Potential Number of Units Affected: 377,062 Manufacturer: Kia Motors America SUMMARY: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection." CONSEQUENCE: Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash. REMEDY: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.