Kia invests in new technology
that helps diesels improve fuel economy and emit less CO2. The Korean automaker
confirmed a new diesel mild-hybrid powertrain, which will debut in the Sportage
later this year, followed by the third-gen Ceed in 2019.
Christened ‘EcoDynamics+’, the new mild-hybrid
powertrain is paired with a 0.46 kWh 48-volt lithium-ion battery and uses a new
mild-hybrid starter-generator (MHSG) unit. The latter is connected to the
diesel engine’s crankshaft by a belt, and under acceleration, it provides up to 14 PS of extra power.
Kia says the system can switch between two modes,
called ‘motor’ and ‘generator’. In ‘motor’, the powertrain reduces engine load
and emissions, and in ‘generator’, it harvests kinetic energy during in-gear
deceleration and braking, using it to recharge the batteries. Paired with the
brand’s Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) active emissions control
technology, the system helps reduce CO2 emissions by up to 4 percent on the new
WLTP, and up to 7 percent on the NEDC, thus enabling “Kia to offer cleaner
diesel engines”, in their own words.
Controlled by an advanced ECU, the powertrain
benefits from a new ‘Moving Stop & Start’ function. This allows the
internal combustion engine to automatically turn off during braking and in-gear
deceleration, whereas the MHSG can re-ignite it whenever the driver presses the
throttle.
Kia hasn’t released any specs yet, but says that the
48V battery will be located beneath the boot floor, at least in the case of the
Sportage. The company claims thats integrating the EcoDynamics+ mild-hybrid
system into the existing architecture “is relatively straightforward”. The
EcoDynamics+ will be eventually adapted for use in petrol engines too, and is
compatible with manual and automatic transmissions. It can also be adapted for
FWD, RWD and AWD drivetrain layouts.
The company’s plan is to launch 16 “advanced
powertrain vehicles by 2025”, including 5 EVs, 5 PHEVs and 5 hybrids, in
addition to a new FCV in 2020.
