As Kia announced that full scale production of six new Kia Ceed ISG (Idle Stop & Go) models will commence at it’s new European factory in Slovakia, we started to get excited.
However a closer look at the small print reveals that only left hand drive models go into production with no announcment, as of yet, for right hand drive models. This asks the question as to whether it’ll ever happen and if so will the new technology find its way to the Picanto.
The new Idle Stop & Go technology, or ISG for short, automatically switches the engine off when the car is stopped in traffic and restarts the engine instantly when the driver wishes to move again. In typical city driving conditions, with heavy traffic and constant stop-start motoring, the ISG system dramatically cuts fuel consumption and emissions – by up to 15%. In everyday mixed driving over town, country and motorway routes, the officially measured fuel saving is 6% on the combined cycle.
Kia revised the Picanto range to achieve lower emissions by removing one of the rear seats to reduce weight. Whilst this brought the Picanto range into the key Band B segment, the move is bound to hit sales for those wanting a 5 seat alternative like the Hyundai i10, which offers both lower emissions through new ‘Kappa’ engine technology as well as seating 5 occupants.
The delay in RHD production echo’s the problem Kia had when delivering a diesel variant of the Picanto for the UK. With emissions and ecomony playing a major part in the decision making for car buyers, Kia can ill afford anymore design issue’s which may effect what can and can’t come to the UK.
However the Korean Corporation is in a different league to what it was two years ago and is continuing a massive investment in eco-friendly technologies for the future. Intensive R&D; programs are developing hybrid, fuel cell and electric vehicles for volume production in the next decade. Hyundai recently announced that Idle Stop & Go technology will see its way into their new Hyundai i20 supermini so hopefully we’ll see Kia employing the same strategy in their own small cars.
