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Automotive Technology
AUTOS: Futuristic Kia Hybrid Has 746-Mile Range
Concept car's advanced aerodynamics and light weight allow for extended driving between fill ups.
SPEED Staff  |  Posted February 12, 2010   Chicago, IL
The stylishly slippery shape of Kia's Ray plug-in hybrid concept helps it gain high fuel mileage. (Photo: Kia)
Kia Motors has unveiled its Ray plug-in Hybrid concept at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, a blend of innovative fuel-stretching and emissions-cutting technologies that boasts a range of 746 miles.

Designed with lightweight and recycled materials, as well as hexagonal solar cells embedded in the glass roof panel to power extra lighting or climate control systems, the Kia Ray is also a bold collaboration between design and engineering that showcases a futuristic four-seat compact sedan based on the Kia Forte platform.

"It is important to imagine early in the design process what people will want in the future from a green perspective,” said Peter Schreyer, chief design officer for the Kia Motors Corporation. “People want to reduce their carbon footprint without driving carbon copies.

"Being green doesn't have to be an obvious statement anymore and the Kia Ray exemplifies a viable blend of modern, eco-minded features for today's environmentally conscious consumers," he added.

As a plug-in hybrid, Ray is designed to cover driving distances of more than 50 miles using just its electric motor on a single charge, and it has a fuel economy rating of more than 202 miles per gallon for a total range of 746 miles.

The aerodynamic Ray combines design and engineering for maximum efficiency, incorporating clean, flush surfaces that minimize unnecessary edges with a flowing profile and a pronounced rear shoulder ending in a slightly higher deck for reduced drag.

Strong, lightweight materials are used to support the EcoDynamics philosophy. The LED Kia badge is covered with a single piece of glass that extends over the hood and another piece of glass extends from the cowl of the windshield to the rear header to offer occupants a spacious, airy feeling.

A lowered mono-volume shape and a strong, curvaceous silhouette give the Kia Ray concept better aerodynamic properties than taller profile hybrid vehicles. Its tapering greenhouse cabin and longer tail improve aerodynamics, while reduction of drag is attained through a one-piece integrated underbody panel, narrow tire width and flush wheel design.

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