Following in the footsteps of its mother company, Hyundai and its recently launched Elantra LPI Hybrid, Kia has introduced its first commercialized hybrid - electric car onto the Korean market. As its name suggests, the Forte LPI Hybrid utilizes the same drivetrain with the Elantra that comprises of a 1.6-liter LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) engine, a 15kW and 105Nm electric motor and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The hybrid system is also equipped with Kia's Intelligent Stop and Go system. F
urthermore, the Korean automaker's engineers honed the Forte sedan's aerodynamics by applying different front/rear bumper skirts, aluminum wheels and rear spoiler as well as using a special cover for the lower part of the engine room and centre floor. These changes resulted in a lowered air resistance of 0.26 Cd, compared to 0.29 Cd for the standard, petrol-powered Forte sedan.
The Forte LPI Hybrid has a combined fuel efficiency of 17.2km per liter of LPG which Kia says is the equivalent of 21.5km/liter (50.6mpg US, 60.7mpg UK or 4.7lt /100 km) in a standard petrol engine.
While the LPG-hybrid version of the Forte won't be making it to other markets outside Korea, Kia said that it the company is currently working on petrol-powered and plug-in hybrids that are likely to arrive in European showrooms by 2013.
