First KIA Blog

Kia shares a glimpse of the future of urban electric transportation with the POP Concept Car that turned the world on its head during its introduction in the 2010 LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW.

The Kia POP is a Chrome Coloured, wacky looking, three-meter-long three-seater, All-Electric Car. Created by Kia’s European Design Center in Frankfurt under the direction of Kia Motors Corporation chief design officer, Peter Schreyer. With its revolutionary characteristics, POP is soon to break the usual traditions of cars. POP concept is a product of a Global collaboration between designers and engineers that aim to bring all-out economical vehicles to life and symbolizes Kia’s dedication to creating a sustainable future through vehicles with incomparably reduced environmental effects.

Visualized as a sassy city car with dramatic styling, POP runs on compact lithium polymer gel batteries. Capable of reaching a top speed of 87 miles per-hour and completely recharging in six hours, the fully-electric, zero-emissions concept vehicle with a 50kW, 190Nm motors offers a range of up to 100 miles in just a single charge.

POP’s adorable size only requires little more than three yards of parking space; its overall size is even smaller than that of a mini-cooper. It features unique oblong windows that reflect the designer’s wish, to provide the driver a wider and better view of his surroundings, pretty much like a helicopter’s cockpit. Its interior features a flowing front seat influenced by sleek modern furniture and an atypical color scheme that is chosen to express calm and peaceful environment for both the driver and the passenger. Breaking away from traditional automotive designs, a dashboard is replaced by transparent organic LED panel for speedometer and battery charge gauges, and a single touch screen takes over the typical buttons.

This Chrome-Colored car is even more special with its striking exterior designs, POP’s unique characteristics are enhanced with the high-tech feel of the dot-pattern grille and taillights and the simplistic, clean look of the wheels. Continuing the its high-tech, high-style theme, the trademark Kia signature grille illuminates at night, protruding at the bottom corners at the doors are rear-view cameras that relay images to small screens in the cabin.

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic design-led transformation, delivering dynamically styled vehicles as the challenges of the futures of car industry advances, and will always be continuing to surprise the world as it did in revealing the POP Concept itself. There’s no specific update yet as to when the Kia POP would come out to the market. So if you want to give yourself a chance of having one this lovely cars in the future, keep up to date with new information from First Kia in Simi Valley, www.1stkia.com.

First KIA together with KIA Motors proudly introduces the release of the first –ever hybrid, the 2011 KIA Optima Hybrid.  The said model was debuted during KIA’s press conference at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The model was patterned from the 2011 Optima midsize sedan.  The hybrid is a top dog of fuel – efficiency; having an estimated 40 miles per gallon in a stretch.  This advanced technology can bring out a zero emission while having a full–electric drive mode with a speed reaching 62 miles per hour.  It can also be set into a gas – electric mode at any speed.  As a hybrid, the Optima’s engine basically shuts off automatically.  Unlike the conventional vehicles, this gets rid of idle fuel consumptions and emissions.

Optima hybrid, the first hybrid made by KIA, is an innovation for the green cars invested by the company. Its fuel efficiency is the feature which made it stand out. In partnership with South Korea’s LG Chem, the vehicle is then powered by a lithium polymer battery.  This compact and lightweight battery maximizes cargo space and charges longer by 25 percent.

The powertrain is made up of a 2.4 – liter direct –injected inline – four cylinder engine paired to a six – speed automatic transmission.  This upgrade comes with a lightweight Optima platform which is the reason for its fuel – efficiency.  The Optima hybrid is lighter to its competitors therefore having better performance in fuel economy.  Some parts of the exterior were tweaked to bring out better aerodynamics and decrease rolling resistance.

2011 KIA Optima Hybrid, together with other KIA models, is equally competitive to its competitors.  Some of its features are front active headrests, six standard airbags, and side – impact door beams, three – point seatbelts for all seating positions and height – adjustable front seatbelt with pre-tensioners.

First KIA guarantees that there are a lot more to expect from KIA Motors.  Each revelation is unveiled one at a time.