Kia Ray EV becomes Korea’s first production electric-car

Kia today introduced Korea’s first electric-vehicle with the new Ray EV a model that is capable of traveling 86 miles on a single charge. The Kia Ray EV, which will be assembled on the same production lines as the regular model, will first see a limited production of 2,500 units in 2012 for use by government agencies.

The front-wheel-drive Kia Ray EV is powered by a 50 kW electric-motor that gets its fuel from a 16.4 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that the company says is engineered for a 10-year life cycle. With a peak torque of 123 lb-ft, the Kia Ray EV runs from 0 to 62 mph in a long 15.9 seconds with a top speed of 81 mph.

Recharging time comes in at 6 hours when using a 220V outlet and 25 minutes when using a fast-charging mode.

While in D mode, drivers have the option of selected the Eco or Brake mode. The Eco mode obviously optimizes delivery of torque to maximize the use of miles provided by the battery. B mode allows for downhill driving on highways and mountain roads.

There are currently 500 slow/fast charging stations in Korea and the government plans on increasing that number to 3,100 by the end of 2012.

Hit the jump for the technical specs.

Kia Ray EV / Technical Specification

DIMENSIONS
Length 3593 mm Width 1595 mm
Height 1700 mm Wheelbase 2520 mm
Kerb weight 1185 kg

POWERTRAIN
Electric motor 50 kW
Max power 68 ps Max torque 167 Nm (17.0 g/km)

BATTERY
Power 330V Lithium ion polymer
Capacity 16.4 kWh
Charge time 6.0 hrs (slow) / 25 minutes (fast)

PERFORMANCE
0-to-100 kph 15.9 sec (to 62 mph)
Max speed 130 kph (81 mph)
Max range 139 km (86 miles)

– By: Omar Rana