Tag Archives: setback

News

Kia EV5: A Bold Electric Family SUV for 2024

Kia has officially revealed the EV5, an electric family SUV with unique design features. The set-back D-pillars highlight the spaciousness of the rear seat and boot, while the rear wing enhances aerodynamic efficiency and represents the groundbreaking nature of the vehicle.

The EV5’s interior has been specifically designed for millennial households, who view the interior of their EV SUV as an additional living space, rather than just a place to travel from A to B. The dashboard, steering wheel, and infotainment suite closely resemble those found in the EV9. The driver display and central touchscreen are housed in a wraparound digital panel, and core functions retain physical buttons and switches. After launch, the EV5 will receive over-the-air system updates, allowing owners to activate features as needed.

Although exact dimensions have not yet been revealed, the EV5 offers a spacious cabin compared to traditional cars. Notable features include 64-colour ambient lighting with a dimming function, easy-access infotainment and climate controls, and a wide range of upholstery options in terms of colors, patterns, and materials.

The EV5 no longer features the concept’s swiveling seats or reverse-opening rear doors. However, it does have a bench-style front seat arrangement with the passenger’s seat base extending over the center console, replacing a traditional armrest. It’s important to note that there is no third seatbelt in the front.

News, Science

Russia’s Luna-25 Moon Mission Ends With Crash Landing

The mission’s unfortunate end marks a significant setback for Russia. The country now faces fierce competition not only from NASA, China’s CNSA, and Japan’s JAXA but also from private space exploration companies interested in commercial and government-backed lunar missions. Despite this setback, Russia’s space ambitions continue, with numerous future missions planned.

The Russian space agency was collaborating with the European Space Agency (ESA) on the Luna-27 mission, which aimed to explore the moon’s south-polar region and collect surface samples. However, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the ESA severed ties with Roscosmos and withdrew from the planned lunar missions in April 2022. In addition, Roscosmos had joined forces with the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in late 2021 for future lunar exploration missions, including moon-based observation and long-term unmanned operations with the potential for human presence. However, this partnership has yet to achieve significant success for Russia.

In contrast, China’s Chang’e 5 probe successfully returned lunar samples to Earth three years ago. China is also planning to establish an operational base on the moon using 3D printing technology and aims to send a human to the lunar surface by 2030. All eyes are now on India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which is currently in lunar orbit and is expected to achieve a soft landing on the moon on August 23.