Geneva 2011: Kia Optima Hybrid

A hybrid built with the American consumers in mind has landed in Europe, determined to impress probably a tougher audience than across the ocean. South Korean manufacturer Kia is displaying these days in Geneva the exciting Optima model, wearing the hybrid power train with which the auto maker plans to conquer the United States.

To begin mass production in the second half of the year, the Optima hybrid is powered by a 2.4l direct-injected inline-four cylinder engine, aided by an electric motor. The couple develops 206 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, with only 40 hp coming from the electric motor.

The performances of the model are not in any way affected by the use of this system. The Optima is capable of reaching 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and a top speed of 195 km/h. The electric motor can be effectively used until the car reaches 100 km/h.

The engine is controlled via a specially modified six-speed automatic transmission, with the traditional torque converter replaced by the electric motor and a high-efficiency oil pump.

The green technologies used in the Optima hybrid expand far from the hybrid system itself. Bound on making the model achieve a 40 percent better fuel economy than the non-hybrid Optima, Kia packed into the model all the latest developments in the industry, starting with the Hybrid-Starter-Generator (HSG), an 8.5 kilowatt starter belt-driven motor-generator and ending with the kinetic energy recovery system.

The modified transmission allows the EV mode operation for the hybrid, maximizes regeneration of kinetic energy and provides a more responsive drive than competitors' CVT systems, says Kia.