Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The Kia Sportage PHEV SUV
Kia Corporation, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is fast developing a portfolio of lower emission ‘eco’ vehicles, to include zero-emission battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids.
The Korean automotive company is headquartered in Seoul, and it is South Korea’s second largest automotive manufacturer after the Hyundai Motor Company. Hyundai owns a 33.88% stake in Kia. The Kia Corporation has been active in the European markets since 1991. The BEVs and PHEVs range includes:
- The all-electric Kia Niro
- The all-electric Kia EV6
- Niro Plug-In Hybrid
- XCeed Plug-In Hybrid
- Ceed Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid
- Sorento Plug-In Hybrid
- Sportage Plug-In Hybrid
The Kia Sportage, now in its fifth-generation, has always been a popular SUV. However, with the addition of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the family SUV has become even more compelling.
The Sportage plug-in hybrid SUV has a 13.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a WLTP certified zero-emission electric range up to 70 km. Adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the Sportage plug-in should comfortably deliver an emission-free pure electric range over 65 km, useful for city and shorter distance motorway driving! For those new to electric driving, it is worth noting that many factors influence the real-world electric car range. Some of these include: driving style, temperature, elevation, wind, rain, road surface, tyre size, onboard services used etc.
Do keep in mind that driving on the pure electric mode helps reduce the cost of motoring and improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle. Depending on the cost of charging, expect a driving cost between 5 and 10 cents per km, when driven on the e-mode. This is substantially cheaper than driving using the petrol internal combustion engine (ICE).
Kia claims the Sportage PHEV can deliver up to 1.1 l/100 km. This is certainly impressive, however, do keep in mind, like the real-world electric range, the real-world fuel economy will be lower than the manufacturer claimed data. Nevertheless, leveraging the pure electric mode on a regular basis is a must in taking advantage of the benefits of electric driving, to include better fuel economy!
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the electric vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Kia offers a 7 years or 150,000 km warranty.
The Kia PHEV does not offer DC charging. The EV has a 7.2 kW onboard charger. The Kia electric vehicle can be charged 10% to 100% via a dedicated EV charging station in 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you insist on using a domestic socket for charging, the EV will take up to 5 hours and 27 minutes to fully charge.
The plug-in hybrid SUV comes as an all-wheel drive as standard. The EV combines a 1.6-litre (four-cylinder) turbocharged petrol engine with an onboard electric motor (66.9 kW), powered by the EV battery. Despite the additional weight of the EV battery (140 kg), the PHEV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The 6-speed automatic transmission plug-in electric SUV delivers 226 bhp maximum power and 350 Nm torque. Top speed is 191 km/h. The EV has 3 driving modes: comfort, eco and sport mode.
The all-new Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid has an attractive exterior styling, with a good balance between a traditional and futuristic design. The interior cabin is also just as appealing and the level of standard equipment and technology does not disappoint. In terms of practicality, the SUV has much to offer, in particular, a good boot size (540 L). The only real critique is the potential for limited legroom for taller adults seated in the rear.
The electric vehicle (EV) offers a host of safety features as standard, to include: forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA) – city/pedestrian/cyclist/junction covering, hill-start assist control (HAC), intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA), lane following assist (LFA), lane keep assist (LKA) and more. Also included as standard is a 12.3″ Supervision Colour Cluster Display, 360° around view monitor, blind-spot view monitor (BVM), free 7-year Kia Connect (UVO) services and more.
The Kia Sportage PHEV tailpipe emissions are low (25g CO2/km). Bottom-line, the Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Low tailpipe emission | Does not offer DC charging |
| Decent zero-emission electric range | Onboard charger limited to 7.2 kW (single-phase) |
| All-wheel drive as standard | Rear legroom limited for taller adults |
Gallery
The Kia Sportage PHEV (credit: KIA)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Vehicle Type: | SUV |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (2 Options) |
|---|
| K3 1.6 Petrol PHEV (from € 47,000) |
| K4 1.6 Petrol PHEV (from € 49,500) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 13.8 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 1 hrs 45 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 25 g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 7 years or 150,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1650 |
| Width (mm): | 1865 |
| Length (mm): | 4515 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2680 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.4 |
| Boot Space (L): | 540 |
| 1.6 GDi ISG PHEV | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 13.8 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 70 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 169 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100 km): | 1.1 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 7.2 kW AC (10% – 100%: 1 hr 45 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 191 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 8.2 seconds |
| Drive: | All-wheel drive (aWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 66.9 |
| Max Power (bhp): | 226 |
| Torque (Nm): | 350 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,905 |
| Colours: | 7 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
History Of Electric Cars: Quick Facts
| An electric vehicle (EV), also referred to as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is not a new invention or even an invention of modern times. Indeed, EVs were first developed more than a 100 years ago in the 19th century. Inventors from various countries, to include European countries and the United States, were the first to invest in electric motors and batteries. The first practical electric cars were built in the second half of the nineteenth century, with the first US electric car introduced in 1890. |
| Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages. In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage. Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention. It was the beginning of man’s love affair with cars that has lasted more than a century and still going strong. |
| However, the uptake of electric vehicles in the early 20th century was short-lived, as gasoline powered vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines (ICE) become the preferred mode of transportation. Bottom-line, manufactures chose internal combustion engines over electric cars in the early 1900s for various reasons, to include, the costs and production volumes. |
| It is not definitive as to where EVs were invented or to credit a single inventor. However, one known electric motor (small-scale) was created in 1828 by Anyos Jedlik, a Hungarian inventor, engineer, physicist and Benedictine priest. Hungarians and Slovaks still consider him to be the unsung hero of the electric motor. |
| Shortly after, between 1832 and 1839, a Scottish inventor Robert Anderson created a large electric motor to drive a carriage, powered by non-rechargeable primary power cells. Through the 19th century a number of inventors were inspired to develop electric motors to include, Thomas Davenport, an American from Vermont credited with building the first DC electric motor in America (1834). Unlike many of his contemporaries and other trying to build electric motors, Davenport did not have a background in either engineering or physics. In fact, he was a blacksmith. |
| Move forward a few decades and at the end of the 19th century, William Morrison created what is believed to be the first practical electric vehicle. Morrison, another American from Des Moines, Iowa, was a chemist who became interested in electricity. He build the first electric vehicle in 1887 in a carriage built by the Des Moines Buggy Co. His first attempt was not a great success. In 1890, he attempted again, with more success. 12 EVs were built using a carriage built by the Shaver Carriage Company. |
| The batteries were designed and developed by William Morrison. The vehicle had 24 batteries with an output of 112 amperes at 58 volts that took 10 hours to recharge. Available horsepower just under 4 horsepower. The vehicle could accommodate 6 individuals and had a top speed of 14 mph (22.50 km/h). |
| Morrison’s success led to others also developing large-scale practical electric cars. At the turn of the century cities like New York had 60 electric taxis. The first decade witnessed strong popularity for electric vehicles. However the popularity was short-lived as internal combustion engine (ICE) gasoline powered vehicles replaced the early electric vehicles. Henry Fords success with the then ubiquitous Ford Model T was the ‘beginning of the end’ for electric vehicles. The Model T was cheaper than the prevailing electric cars (US$ 650 Vs US$ 1,750) and could be manufactured at scale. As they say — the rest is history. |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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