Kia Motors celebrated the world premiere of its all-new, eye-catching, compact electric POP concept car at the 106th Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris. POP is a fully-electric, zero-emissions car with a 50kW, 190Nm motor.

Kia Motors celebrated the world premiere of its all-new, eye-catching, compact electric POP concept car at the 106th Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris. POP is a fully-electric, zero-emissions car with a 50kW, 190Nm motor.

Spotlighting Kia’s increasing focus on striking design and new technologies, the chrome-coloured, three-metre-long three-seater POP with its electric drivetrain, oblong-shaped side windows and front-hinged doors took centre stage on Kia’s Paris Show stand.

Unconventional features of POP – the striking side-window design, the high-tech feel of the dot-pattern head and taillights, back-lit front grille, rear-view cameras in each door, full-length glass roof, and the simplistic look of the wheels – all point to inspiration from outside the usual automotive spheres, such as gliders and high-speed bicycles.

Inside, the purple colour scheme creates a calm and peaceful environment within the space-ship like cabin.  Facing the driver, a small piece of plexi-glass in front of the steering wheel shows a Transparent Organic LED (TOLED) display for speed, battery charge, and the other main readouts, when the car is running.  At other times it is totally transparent.

To the right of the steering wheel, a sculpted, chrome-look panel features only one button, with every other function (audio, sat-nav, climate control, etc) controlled via an animated touch screen.

The front seat is a sculpted bench, with interesting, flowing lines, while the rear seat is positioned at an offset angle, resulting in remarkable legroom for a 1740 mm wide car with a wheelbase of just 2055 mm.  Designed to accommodate a single passenger, this seat is a two-part affair, with a base that flips up when not in use and a backrest and a headrestraint integrated into the headlining.

POP is a fully-electric, zero-emissions car with a 50kW, 190Nm motor.  It’s powered by highly efficient, compact lithium polymer gel batteries and is fully rechargeable in just six hours.  Top speed is 140 kph, with a maximum range of 160 km on a single charge.

The POP concept was designed by Kia’s European design team under the direction of Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer, and Gregory Guillaume, Kia Europe’s Chief Designer.

“A concept car like the POP could only have come from Kia,” explains Guillaume.  “Designers very rarely have the opportunity to start from a clean sheet of paper and it’s great to be in a position to operate with such freedom

2010 Kia Pop Concept

A unique addition to the automotive world – a chrome-coloured, three-metre long three-seater concept car with oblong side windows and front-hinged doors.

In cooperation with LG Chem, Kia Pop uses the latest lithium polymer gel battery technology, offering the same power performance as a lithium ion battery, but with a 20% reduction in battery size and reduced manufacturing complexity.

Powertrain

Lithium polymer gel battery
Type / capacity           Electric motor with lithium polymer gel battery / 18 kWh
Power/torque             50kW 190Nm
Emissions                    0 g/km at tailpipe

Dimensions (mm)
Overall length              3000                Overall width               1740 (excluding door mirrors)
Overall height              1490                Wheelbase                  2055

Performance
Top speed (kph)          140
Range / km                 160
Charging time             6 hours (230V)
Charging time             30 minutes (high voltage)