Kia developing a diesel 48V mild-hybrid powertrain

-    Kia will introduce an all-new EcoDynamics+ diesel mild-hybrid powertrain in the second half of 2018.
-    The Sportage will be the first to benefit from this powertrain followed by the new-gen Ceed next year.
-    First of many new powertrains to be launched under Kia’s 2025 electrification strategy.

Kia has announced an all-new EcoDynamics+ diesel mild-hybrid powertrain which will be offered in the Sportage from the second half of 2018. This 0.46 kWh 48V lithium-ion battery pack uses a mild-hybrid starter-generator (MHSG) unit. It will be mated to a diesel motor providing a 10kW (13bhp) power gain.

The EcoDynamics+ is the first of new powertrains the Korean carmaker plans to introduce as a part of its 2025 electrification plan. This mild-hybrid powertrain will be affordable, compact and can be integrated into an existing architecture, claims the carmaker. The system works in two modes – motor and generator. Connected to the diesel motor via a belt, the motor assists the engine in the motor mode. Meanwhile, in generator mode, it yields kinetic energy from the engine during deceleration and braking to recharge the batteries.

The mild-hybrid powertrain will be compatible with both manual and automatic transmissions. It could also be adapted for front-, rear- and all-wheel layouts. Later on, the powertrain will also be adapted for petrol engines. Kia doesn’t say exact fuel efficiency figures but claims that the CO2 emissions will be reduced by four per cent under WLTP and by seven per cent under NEDC cycles. After the Sportage, the new-gen Ceed will use the EcoDynamics+ in 2019.
Kia's aggressive electrification strategy entails an introduction of no less than 16 ‘advanced powertrain’ vehicles by 2025.

It will include five new hybrids, five plug-in hybrids, and five battery-electric vehicles. In 2020, a new fuel-cell electric vehicle is also part of the plan.