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When the possibility of the Rio hybrid was announced, Hyundai announced that the Kia Rio hybrid would be
a mild hybrid - it will not be able to run on
electricity at low speeds - but the hybrid was still projected to achieve as much as 40 mpg, at least on the highway.
Hyundai's plan was to combine a
90-horsepower 1.4 liter, 4 cylinder gas engine with a 16
hp electric motor.
With an
electric motor in between the flywheel and the gearbox,
the Rio hybrid will still use regenerative breaking to
recharge its power pack.
During highway driving, the
electric motor will not assist the gasoline engine,
except during acceleration. The electric motor will also
assist the Rio hybrid's gasoline engine during starting
and hill climbing.
The Kia
hybrid will also be the first Kia to utilize a
continuously variable transmission (CVT), and it will also
incorporate a number of lightweight components intended to
help the Rio hybrid achieve higher levels of fuel
efficiency.
The first
batch of these Kia Rio hybrids is to be built for
the South Korean government as part of a test fleet.
Hyundai
hybrids will be built on proprietary hybrid technology,
unlike the Ford Escape or Nissan Altima hybrids, which
are built with licensed Toyota hybrid technology.
Nonetheless, because the first generation of Hyundai
hybrids will be mild hybrids, one must assume a full
hybrid powertrain will eventually replace this mild
hybrid powertrain - probably once lithium-ion batteries
achieve market standardization. Already, the Hyundai has announced that the Sonata hybrid will utilizie lithium.
At this
point, don't hold your breath if you are waiting for the
Kia Rio hybrid.
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