Next Level Safety: 5-star NHTSA rating for all-new KIA Sorento

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• KIA’;s all-new Sorento CUV earns NHTSA’;s highest rating^*


• Sorento’;s extensive use of advanced high strength steel makes KIA’;s largest CUV stiffer and more durable than ever


• New Sorento combines a strong base with additional design improvements to reduce NVH and provide a comfortable and quiet interior environment

(SEOUL) April 24, 2015 - The all-new KIA Sorento CUV has received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’;s (NHTSA) 5-star overall safety rating in the U.S.A. Built in the U.S. at KIA Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG)^**, Sorento is KIA Motors America’;s best-selling CUV, having sold more than 100 000 units each of the past 5 years, and offers a long list of standard safety features and an expertly engineered body structure.

“NHTSA’;s recent 5-star rating of the Sorento is a testament to KIA’;s commitment to safety.  The Sorento is KIA’;s most capable CUV ever, yet still offers customers the tremendous value Kia is known for,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning.  “Meant for customers with active lifestyles, Sorento is the perfect getaway vehicle for adventurers and families on the go, and they can feel confident knowing their vehicle scored a 5-star NHTSA rating – the highest rating achievable from NHTSA.”

The core of the all-new Sorento is its significantly enhanced platform. The structure increases torsional rigidity by 14% over the previous generation Sorento. The unit-body consists of 53% Advanced High Strength Steel, a 115% increase over the previous model.  Liberal application of industrial strength adhesives, the use of dual-seal lip joints as well as large diameter and laser welding techniques combine to make the new model the most robust and durable Sorento ever.

Additional Notes:

* Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’;s (NHTSA’;s) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

** The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) for the U.S. market are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts. For most other markets, the Sorento is manufactured in South Korea at the Hwasung Plant.

Next Level Safety: 5-star NHTSA rating for all-new KIA Sorento

5 areas to go to next year

Aussies take about 9 million short-term overseas trips every single year and with the expense of travel remaining competitive, Tourism Analysis Australia (TRA) is expecting continued growth over the next twelve months. In truth we’re expected to take 9.3 million trips in 2014−15.

Where will we be going? Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Fiji and Singapore are forecast by TRA to be the top 5 fastest-developing (major) destinations to be visited by Australian residents next year. Here’s a quick rundown.

Malaysia

Much less than an hour’s flight from common stop-over location Singapore, Malaysia is becoming a popular vacation spot for Australians. Possessing both a population of 28.33 million (roughly 5 million larger then Australia – but in a much smaller sized location), and a sticky equatorial climate, Malaysia essentially divides into 2 geographical components, the west and east coasts.

The west coast, where the capital Kuala Lumpur is positioned, is ideal visited among December and March when temperatures are pleasant but humidity is at a low. The east coast is best avoided for the duration of a comparable period (November to February) due to heavy rain fall and choppy seas.

Well-liked activities consist of visiting the Petronas Towers, the world’s tallest twin towers, and the Bird Park, a compex showcasing more than 200 various species of exotic birds.

China

While it could look like an impossibly huge and daunting location to pick for your subsequent holiday, China offers a massive variety of attractions and causes to venture there. Accounting for roughly a fifth of the world’s population, China is so vast that climate varies immensely, with 5 principal temperature zones.

Common instances to go to China vary primarily based on what you are right after, but a few of the universally great times to go to are October and late April/early May possibly. Give the 1st week of October a miss because of the Chinese National Day Holiday, and arrive to mild temperatures and a lack of rain. Choose to arrive in April/May possibly and you will see the tail-end of Spring, with slightly warmer, but not unpleasant temperatures, and plenty of flowers in bloom. The South will be seeing the beginnings of summer rains, so going to the North might be preferable.

China will present you with innumerable possibilities for fun and interesting activities, but if you want a handful of pointers, popular attractions consist of the Excellent Wall of China, the Karst Mountains, and the Giant Pandas at Chengdu.

Indonesia

Frequently overlooked as a travel destination (beyond Bali), Indonesia boasts some of the most special holiday experiences available. It has an estimated 252 million residents, generating it the 4^th most populous country on earth, behind the US, India, and China.

Regardless of a tropical equatorial climate, it enjoys a lengthy dry season amongst April and October, creating that period an best time to visit. Humidity is relatively low, and the climate is mild and pleasant, compared to monsoon season (November to March), which sees heavy rain and wind.

Well-liked attractions consist of Komodo Island, Borodudur temple, and Lake Toba, the biggest volcanic lake in the planet.

Fiji

Comprised of over 330 islands, 106 of which are inhabited, Fiji boasts white beaches, a pristine all-natural environment, and a single of the friendliest populations in the world. Stated population is rather little, getting only 881,065 nonetheless this is far more than double the 1963 population of 436,208. The climate is tropical and warm all year round, with an typical of 25°C, and a possible max of above 30°C and a min of 18°C.

The ideal time to go to is for the duration of the ‘Fijian winter’, Fiji’s dry season (May possibly to October). This time of year sees significantly less rain, much less humidity, and reduced temperatures. The chances of tropical cyclones are also significantly reduced.

The list of issues to do across the 300+ islands is enormous. Putting aside the activities and opportunities presented by the numerous resorts, activities like diving, jungle trekking, or relaxing on 1 of Fiji’s stunning beaches are some of the main attractions, however as mentioned there are many much more.

Singapore

Blending modernity and new culture with heritage buildings and conventional landmarks, Singapore is a single of the most quickly creating and expanding cities in the world. It has received the title of Asia’s leading city attraction, and has observed constant and enormous increases in visitor arrivals and tourism receipts over the final few years.

With a population of about 5.4 million, it’s a busy set of islands, and with a tropical climate it is warm and humid regularly all through the year. Visiting in July or August will net you the very best prices on hotels, but visiting in January/February provides you an opportunity to knowledge the Chinese New Year holiday.

Attractions incorporate Gardens by the Bay, the assortment of global and nearby cuisines, the Helix Bridge and the Singapore Flyer.

5 areas to go to next year

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Next Huge Disruption Is not a New Car, It’s a New Battery

Elon Musk isn’t waiting for someone else to figure out how to build a better battery. While lithium-ion technology remains expensive and somewhat fraught with technical issues, the headstrong Tesla CEO has a plan that should at least make batteries cheaper. Many also think it’s his bid to establish the battery as the dominant alt-fuel technology.

Musk wants to cut the price of a Tesla battery pack by more than 30 percent by building a 10-million-square-foot Nevada factory that condenses the company’s current ocean-spanning supply chain onto a single property. His proposed “Gigafactory” would make batteries from start to finish, beginning with raw ma­teri­als and ending with battery-pack assembly.

Unlike Henry Ford’s revolutionary vertical integration in the 1900s, Musk won’t own the entire Gigafactory operation. Part of his plan is convincing established industrial giants to carry some of the $ 5 billion financial burden. Panasonic, which already supplies battery cells for the Model S, will make an initial investment of $ 200 million to $ 300 million to be the sole cell manufacturer on site. The Japanese electronics giant could chip in as much as $ 1 billion by the time the project is complete, while Tesla says it will put up $ 2 billion to $ 3 billion.

A rendering of Tesla’s proposed Gigafactory as seen from the vantage of a SpaceX rocket.

Barring a breakthrough in battery technology, the largest cost savings for Tesla will come from optimizing every aspect of the supply chain. Musk wants to go as far as importing steel and aluminum to stamp out cases for the battery packs. “It’s a lot faster, a lot less linkage, a lot less packaging, and inventory would be reduced,” says Bob Rauh, director of business development for automotive and infrastructure at Panasonic.

Today’s Model S batteries are manufactured in Japan before taking the long boat ride to California. Moving those processes stateside eliminates logistics expenses and Tesla’s exposure to Japan’s electricity rates, which are roughly twice those of the United States. Musk plans to drive his energy expenses even lower with an expansive solar array and wind turbines on-site. (Conveniently, Musk is also chairman of the SolarCity energy-systems enterprise.)

Even if there isn’t a wholesale shift in the technology, Tesla will do everything it can to squeeze pennies out of the battery cells, which account for 70 to 80 percent of the cost of the pack. Model S cells use Panasonic’s cylindrical 18650 format, basically an oversized AA battery and the most common lithium-ion battery type in the world. That decision allowed tiny Tesla to benefit from the economies of scale created by the largest consumer of lithium-ion batteries, the consumer-electronics industry.

Tesla Model S

Musk’s ambition—he claims the Gigafactory will supply battery packs for 500,000 cars per year by 2020—means Panasonic could be manufacturing billions of battery cells annually for Tesla. That kind of volume would allow Tesla to create its own economies of scale for a new battery shape rather than depend on the 18650. “The sheer size of the Gigafactory allows us to drive what is the most cost-effective size of the battery,” Rauh says.

Panasonic is studying new cylindrical-cell geometries that would optimize both the cost and the energy density for Tesla’s needs. Today’s Model S lithium-ion battery already uses a nickel-intensive cathode that is cheaper than the usual cobalt chemistry, but Tesla acknowledges that it is working with new cathode and anode materials for its next-generation battery, hoping to improve cost, density, and longevity.

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As with other news about Tesla, the Gigafactory has created hype well ahead of the product. Analysts at Credit Suisse recently released a report suggesting Tesla could drop the cost of a powertrain from $ 16,500 to $ 7500, putting electric technology on par with the cost of a high-end internal-combustion engine. The fact that Credit Suisse’s predicted 55-percent improvement far exceeds Tesla’s own 30-percent claim didn’t stop media outlets from trumpeting this speculation as fact.

Many complex factors must align for the Gigafactory to come together and deliver the predicted cost savings. That said, Musk has shown real talent in talking others into giving his small company the things it needs to move forward, from the government’s first $ 465 million loan to Toyota’s bargain-priced Fremont, California, factory. The Gigafactory is slated to turn out its first battery packs in 2017—but don’t hold your breath. Every hero has his Kryptonite, and Musk’s has been sticking to a schedule.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Next Huge Disruption Is not a New Car, It’s a New Battery

Louisiana Law to Increase Costs for Uninsured Drivers Next Month

Louisiana drivers will quickly face stiffer penalties for driving with out vehicle insurance following Gov. Bobby Jindal signed Act 641 into law on Thursday.

Starting July 1, owners of uninsured cars will have their automobiles impounded and their license plates and registration revoked. The new law also increases the reinstatement charge for these products and establishes a separate minimum $ 75 fine for driving uninsured.

The following table compares the old and new reinstatement costs, which are based on the length of time the car was uninsured:

According to a legislative fiscal report, the new costs set below the law are anticipated to raise $ 53 million in additional revenue.

$ 53M in Income to Go to Verification Method, Public Safety Salaries

Element of Act 641 uses the charge hike to fund an auto insurance verification technique.

The program will use a database containing info about Louisiana auto insurance policies and drivers. It will permit authorities to check regardless of whether drivers have auto policies and verify no matter whether or not they have had lapses in coverage. The system will contain “real-time”  data for police to reference throughout traffic stops.

Some of the improved fees that are collected will go to an “Insurance Verification System Fund” that would back the “creation and maintenance” of such a database.

Uninsured motorists have faced clampdowns in other states with similar databases, which includes Maryland, Texas, Montana, and Rhode Island.

Other components of the charge hikes are marked to improve law enforcement and public security salaries and applications.

Louisiana Law to Increase Costs for Uninsured Drivers Next Month

Period that vehicle was uninsured	New reinstatement charge (efficient July 1)	Earlier charge
1-30 days	$ 100	$ 25
31-90 days	$ 250	$ 100
91 days or much more	$ 500	$ 200