2011 Kia Naimo Concept

At the 2011 Seoul Motor Show, the Kia Naimo Concept made its world premiere yesterday. The car penned by Kia's international design team in Seoul, the car takes its name from the Korean word “Ne-mo”, which is pronounced ‘Neh-mo’ and means ‘square shape. The car is electric crossover utility vehicle (CUV), a B-segment sized concept car that will serve as a test-bed for the company's EV technology.

The car is powered by an electric motor developing 80 kW (109HP) and 280 Nm (206.5 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to reach a top speed of 150 km/h (93.2 mph). The twin-pack 27 kWh battery located under the boot floor offers the Naimo a driving range of around 200 km (124 mi) on a single charge. The battery can be recharged in 25 minutes to 80 percent of its capacity, but full charge takes five and a half hours. In order to help achieving a reasonable driving range, the car is also fitted with special low-drag 20-inch alloy wheels.

2011 Kia Naimo Concept will join the company's test fleet of hybrid, electric and fuel-cell vehicles and will undergo testing in varying conditions to improve the EV technology that will later be applied to production vehicles.

The car design boxy shape brings to mind the KV7 concept, while details like the assymetric sunroof, the blacked-out A-pillars or the unusual built-in LED taillights give the Naimo a unique look.

The Naimo electric crossover utility vehicle means 3.89 meters in length, the car has a relatively long wheelbase of 2.65 meters, with Kia making claims of a spacious cabin, with “exceptional” head, leg and shoulder room for the occupants. The car has no B-pillars and features rear-hinged doors to improve access to the cabin, while the boot-lid has a three-way split opening system for the easier loading of different-sized objects.