The Kia Ray concept is a sneak peak into a future envisaged by the Korean car company. A plug-in hybrid vehicle that draws power from a 115kW 1.4-litre gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine combined with a 78kW electric motor, the Kia Ray concept is designed to be ultra green, from its design to its propulsion systems and construction method.

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

The eye-catching concept car won't ever reach production, but aspects of its design will influence future Kia models.

The Kia Ray drives through the front wheels and both the electric and combustion motors can run independently or in tandem, using a claimed 3.0 litres of petrol per 100km in hybrid model, and as low as 1.1L/100km in electric mode. It can cover up to 80 kilometres on a full charge without dipping into its petrol tank.

As well as a high-tech powertrain, the Ray concept car features "cool-glazing" solar cells integrated into the glass roof panels to power ancillary systems, motion-detector cameras instead of mirrors, and the vehicle was designed to be constructed from lightweight recycled materials.

"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," explained Schreyer.

The new model was launched at the Chicago motor show in US, and marks the arrival of Kia's new 'green' vehicle branding, EcoDynamics. Not unlike Ford's EcoBoost or Holden's Ecoline brand, the new badge will be slapped on only the most efficient Kia cars.

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