Tech Byte – Kia at SEMA Tech
The Specialty Equipment Marketing Association meets annually for car guys like me, and hopefully you, to show off what they can do and where the future of the automotive industry is headed today. We’re joined by someone that’s onsite there at SEMA to show us how they are transporting us into the future.
With us today coming from SEMA is James Bell. He’s the head of corporate communications for Kia North America. James shares with us what the coolest thing he’s seen at SEMA this year.
JAMES: “The coolest thing I’ve seen so far is easily…the Kia Weekender concept, and what we wanted to do here was kind of shock the crowd at SEMA, which is a tough crowd to shock because they’re used to seeing all, you know, glimpses in the future, but we wanted to push it even further by showing it all electric.
“I guess you could call it an adventure van kind of machine ready to go off the grid, ready to go. explore nature. Get out in the wilderness. We live in crazy times right now. So maybe getting friends and family and getting out for a weekend might be just the right thing to do. but we know that people are maybe concerned about electrification and their next car because of charging capability, especially if you’re going out into the wilderness.
“So that’s what I love about the Weekender. It has a couple ways to keep your batteries charged up. and without putting out harmful exhaust or spilling gas or oil or something in nature. the first thing is a series of solar panels. They’re actually built into the roof. So when you’re out, underneath the sunshine, those panels are going to be keeping those batteries charged up and ready to go.
“But then on the sides and the wheels, there’s something called a turbo hybrid wheels system. They’re basically fans that are built in there. And as the vehicle drives down the road, those fans spin, creating more electricity, which is going back into the battery. let’s say you arrive at your destination, you’re up at the top of a, you know, a hilltop or plateau or something, and there’s a breeze always going by.
Those fans are going to keep spinning, creating more electricity, using the batteries charged. And maybe you have to drive through a little stream to get to your favorite spot. Driving in the water is going to turn those fans. So it’s really, some have said here at SEMA, well you know, is electric the right way to go when you’re going into nature? You can create electricity from many different sources, and the Kia Weekender concept brings all those together.”
You can follow their journey at Kia.com to learn more about their release and upcoming events. Or you should check out sema.org to see all of the cool stuff there. Not just from Kia, but from everybody else to see what is literally going to transport us into the future.
I’m Patrick Moates, thank you for watching Tech Byte!
