Seoul, Korea — As the sun rises above the South Korean capital, the amount of pollution in the air creates a toxic fog that forces many citizens to wear masks. Despite the dark clouds of smog, the people here will have to wait many more months before one of its top automakers, Kia, comes to market with hybrid vehicles, let alone zero-emission models.
Starting next year, hybrid variants of current Kia products will become available across the globe. The company also keeps investing in clean energy sources like hydrogen. I actually had the opportunity to sample a prototype of the Kia Borrego Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) on the roads of rural Seoul before leaving the country.
If it were not for all these decals, you wouldn’t be able to differentiate this model from regular Borregos. Upon closer inspection, though, you might spot the unique fuel filler cap and the subtle aerodynamic upgrades.
Inside, the instrument panel is also a bit different, with a specific gauge for hydrogen level. Elsewhere, there’s a small green turtle icon that tells drivers to wait before hitting the road. And like most environmentally-conscious vehicles, this one has a special LCD screen that helps monitor fuel consumption and power transfers.
Other than that, the Kia Borrego FCEV stays true to the conventional Borrego’s values and genuine truck personality, including the rugged ladder-frame construction.
Business as usual
Of course, I didn’t dare to drive anywhere near downtown and so, I headed toward the highways and country roads. From the get-go, I was struck by the vehicle’s near-silent operation. In fact, when you start the engine and get underway, you will only hear a soft, turbine-like sound (which our Kia representative did a spot-on whistling imitation of).
Accelerations are surprisingly quick due to the abundance of low-end torque courtesy of the electric motor. Also, power is delivered in progressive, linear fashion, meaning with no dead or jerky spots. For such a heavy rig, not to mention with four people on board, the Borrego FCEV felt astonishingly lively. It easily threaded its way during passing manœuvres, too.
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| Patience is key, here. The zero-emission Borrego won’t make it to our streets before a couple of years and many more development stages. (Photo: Marc Bouchard/Auto123.com) |
Starting next year, hybrid variants of current Kia products will become available across the globe. The company also keeps investing in clean energy sources like hydrogen. I actually had the opportunity to sample a prototype of the Kia Borrego Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) on the roads of rural Seoul before leaving the country.
If it were not for all these decals, you wouldn’t be able to differentiate this model from regular Borregos. Upon closer inspection, though, you might spot the unique fuel filler cap and the subtle aerodynamic upgrades.
Inside, the instrument panel is also a bit different, with a specific gauge for hydrogen level. Elsewhere, there’s a small green turtle icon that tells drivers to wait before hitting the road. And like most environmentally-conscious vehicles, this one has a special LCD screen that helps monitor fuel consumption and power transfers.
Other than that, the Kia Borrego FCEV stays true to the conventional Borrego’s values and genuine truck personality, including the rugged ladder-frame construction.
Business as usual
Of course, I didn’t dare to drive anywhere near downtown and so, I headed toward the highways and country roads. From the get-go, I was struck by the vehicle’s near-silent operation. In fact, when you start the engine and get underway, you will only hear a soft, turbine-like sound (which our Kia representative did a spot-on whistling imitation of).
Accelerations are surprisingly quick due to the abundance of low-end torque courtesy of the electric motor. Also, power is delivered in progressive, linear fashion, meaning with no dead or jerky spots. For such a heavy rig, not to mention with four people on board, the Borrego FCEV felt astonishingly lively. It easily threaded its way during passing manœuvres, too.
 |
| Like most environmentally-conscious vehicles, this one has a special LCD screen that helps monitor fuel consumption and power transfers. (Photo: Kia) |