Koreans drive to clean up car emissions
Korea is showcasing its moves to promote the use of green technology by displaying the Kia Rio Hybrid car at the Geneva Motor Show. It's celebrating the recent announcement that Kia and Hyundai are to supply the Korean Ministry of the Environment with an additional 3,390 hybrid vehicles over the next two years, as part of the country’s on-going programme of ‘real-world’ testing to develop hybrid vehicles for the future.
The expansion of this hybrid test fleet (from the current 780 cars) makes the Korean operation one of the world's largest future-technology test programmes, with the aim of creating eco-friendly cars for volume production by 2010.
The Kia Rio may usually be thought of as one of the least interesting cars on the market, but this 1.4 litre petrol engine accelerates to 62 mph in 12 seconds, will hit 112 mph and yet still returns a fuel consumption of 53.4 mpg. Compared to the standard petrol Rio, air pollutants are reduced by 37% and fuel efficiency is improved by 44%. The CO2 figure is an impressive 126 g/km.
To help reduce its fuel and power demands, the Kia Rio Hybrid employs special lightweight components – with aluminium bonnet, boot lid and front seat frames – plus lightweight road wheels, low-friction tyres and electric (rather than hydraulic) power steering. These parts cut the Rio’s weight by 220 kg, or 23% compared to the conventional steel model.
While fuel-cell and hybrid vehicles offer realistic paths to eco-friendly future transport for some segments of the car market, the whole issue of climate-change is being addressed by Kia - and their boffins plan to have a diesel catalyst system that will absorb 90% of NOx emissions by 2010. Since Nitrogen Oxide emissions are one of the diesel engine's biggest flaws, that could transform it into a far more environmentally sound prospect, which has got to be something worth cheering about.
This website was produced using web standards, and strives to be as accessible as possible.
We welcome comments or suggestions on how it may be improved.
The Hendy Group has been supplying quality vehicles to satisfied customers across the South Coast since 1910.
If you have any comments then please contact us on 0845 608 0418, or alternatively via our comments form.
