Kia Targeting 60-Mile PHEV Range Within “the Next Couple Years”

Kia hasn’t lost sight of its EV ambitions, but like many other automakers, the company plans to develop new hybrids and plug-in hybrids to cope with the rollercoaster that is electric vehicle demand. While some of its PHEVs deliver more than 30 miles of all-electric range, Kia recently promised new models that offer 60 miles or more of electric range within the next couple of years.

Kia America COO and EVP Steven Center told Green Car Reports that the improvements would come from new battery technologies and updated vehicle platforms that provide more room for larger battery packs. Center said the 60-mile number was an “engineering statistic” that was enough to cover most Americans’ daily driving needs and that the gas engine’s backup makes the vehicles suitable for longer road trips.

As Green Car Reports pointed out, reaching the 60-plus-mile electric range numbers with a PHEV presents a significant engineering problem. A Nissan executive told the publication earlier this year that the batteries needed to sustain a 70-mile driving range are too large and heavy for PHEV applications. Still, they noted that next-generation batteries will likely be more affordable and efficiently packaged.

Kia is pressing forward with battery development on that front. While it has not stopped internal combustion engine development, it’s doing so with hybridization top of mind. The automaker is also considering range-extended EVs, which use a gas engine as a generator to power the electric motors and charge the batteries.

[Images: Kia]

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