2011 Kia Optima Hybrid: official details, photos and specs
By Andrew, 18 Nov, 2010. 0 Comments
2011 Kia Optima Hybrid
The 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show meant the official debut of the all-new 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid, firm’s first hybrid vehicle for the United States market. Just like the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, the new Optima Hybrid comes with a 2.4-litre petrol engine delivering 166 hp and 265 Nm / 195.4 lb ft of torque, mated to a small electric motor which drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Optima Hybrid’s 30kW Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) synchronous electric motor delivers 40.7 ps and 205 Nm of torque from 0-to-1,400 rpm in electric mode. The engine can push the car to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 9.2 seconds and to a top speed of 121 mph or 194 km/h. The car offers an Electric Mode, but when this is turned off, the Hybrid Starter motor/Generator (HSG) starts the petrol engine and the clutch is closed, and the engine takes over the task to propel the car.
In addition, the electric motor switches into hybrid operation and serves as both a secondary engine but also as a generator to recharge the battery pack if necessary. If the car comes to a stop for more than few seconds, the petrol engine is automatically turned off. Furthermore, the electric motor can convert kinetic energy into electricity and store it in the battery pack.
The electric motor sits within the car’s extended transmission casing (between the petrol engine and the automatic gearbox) and is the world’s first oil-cooled system. The Optima Hybrid comes with a lithium polymer battery array developed in partnership with LG Chem. According to Kia, the battery pack will not require replacing during the vehicle’s lifespan – at least 10 years and 150,000 miles. The complete hybrid system is controlled by the Optima’s Hybrid Control Unit (HCU).
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