Kia confirms 48-volt mild hybrid Sportage is coming
Small SUV the first of many Kias to feature mild hybridisation, but Australian take-up unknownKia has announced plans to introduce new mild hybrid technology to its line-up, similar to the drivetrains currently utilised by Audi.
The Korean car maker has confirmed a new 48-volt battery with starter generator unit will feature on vehicles in Europe from this year, beginning with the Sportage SUV. The technology has been developed as a means of improving efficiency and performance.
Australia's take-up of the technology remains under a cloud, as local stakeholders have vowed to skip hybrid drivetrains and move straight into EVs.
Adding electric assistance to the Sportage’s diesel engine upon take off and under partial loads, the electric motor provides 10kW of power and is said to improve overall efficiency by 4 per cent.
When decelerating, an inverter switches the current of the motor, effectively turning it into a generator to top up the 0.46kWh battery. It also extends the vehicle’s ‘start-stop’ capability by shutting down the engine as the vehicle coasts to a rest.
Kia says the unit’s relatively compact packaging will ensure a straightforward installation across most of its current model ranges.
In most cases, the battery will sit below the floor, and in a further packaging boost, will encourage development of smaller, more compact engine components such as the traditional starter motor – owed to the fact it takes strain off the engine.
“The compact nature of the components means the technology can be integrated into existing vehicle and powertrain architectures without impacting practicality or packaging,” the car maker said.
“Kia’s mild-hybrid powertrain is designed to fit seamlessly into consumers’ lives, with no plug-in recharging required.”
Kia says the technology is production-ready and will debut in the European-spec Sportage, followed by the Ceed.
Asked if and when the 48-volt system was due in Australia, a Kia spokesman referred to recent comments made by chief executive Damian Meredith, in which he vowed to skip hybrid drivetrains altogether and move straight into EV technology.
Kia plans to launch 16 advanced powertrain vehicles by 2025, including five new hybrids, five plug-in hybrids, five battery-electric vehicles and – in 2020 – a new fuel-cell electric vehicle.
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