Latest on the Kia Optima hybrid
Updated 2/20/2012
The 2012 Kia Optima hybrid is very similar to the Hyundai Sonata hybrid, which uses the Blue Hybrid Drive, a full hybrid drive powered by a lithium-polymer battery -- the first of its kind in the commercial hybrid space.
Thanks to the lithium battery, the Optima hybrid, unlike other hybrid sedans, such as the Toyota Camry hybrid, does not have to sacrifice either cabin or cargo room to accomodate its battery pack. By reducing battery volume by 44 percent, Kia has a lot of extra room with which to work.
More important, however, the Kia hybrid is a hybrid, and most hybrid buyers are most interested in fuel economy.
Thus, like Sonata hybrid, the Optima hybrid should achieves around 40 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city.
And that those highway fuel economy numbers are exactly what makes the Optima, like the the Sonata hybrid, so American.
Since Americans are still predominantly highway drivers, Hyundai focused on a hybrid that excels in such conditions, although 36 mpg in the city is still excellent. As a result, the Optima hybrid offers not just the best highway fuel economy, but also the most horsepower and the best 0 - 60 speeds of any hybrid in its class.
Consequently, while the Optima hybrid can be powered purely in EV mode, even at highway speeds under the right conditions, EV mode wasn't Hyundai's focus. Instead, Hyundai focused its parallel hybrid drive on maximizing fuel economy under all conditions.
Since Americans are highway drivers that value power and space, why not give them what they want?
Outside of performance numbers, Hyundai engineers promised that the Optima hybrid's 6-speed transmission should be the smoothest in its class. Likewise, the transmission should also keep down hybrid costs.
Unfortunately, my initial test drives found the Hyundai hybrid drive to be a little more choppy than other hybrid transmissions, so Hyundai still has a little work to do there.
Fuel economy, battery, performance - what else is there?
Price.
As of November, 2012 Kia Optima hybrid buyers could save up to 9 percent off the sticker price.
Making the move to lithium
Aside from fuel economy and price; however, the Optima hybrid's lithium battery is still one of the most intriguing things about Kia's first US hybrid.
Hyundai's lithium battery is also a good bit different
than the lithium batteries being explored by virtually
every other automaker. So, this is a move that could
instantly turn Hyundai and Kia into major players in the hybrid
segment.
Battery
experts suggest that mass manufacturing of lithium
polymer batteries could be much more cost effective than
other lithium battery technologies. Moreover, Hyundai has stated that they have lots of flexibility for volume, so lithium manufacturing constraints seem a non-issue.
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