The Kia Niro EV Makes the Transition from Concept to Reality
The Kia Niro
family of eco-friendly vehicles will soon be complete with the arrival
of the electric version to complement the existing hybrid and plug-in
hybrid models. Previewed by a concept car a few months ago, the Niro EV
appears to be making a quick transition to the showroom floor, and it
could go on sale here within the next year to give Kia a competitor to
the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
The Niro EV seems to share its basic powertrain with the Hyundai Kona Electric,
as it has the same size battery pack, at 64.0 kWh. Range estimates are
hard to pin down at this point—Kia’s European press release quotes
between 236 miles and 280 miles on an unspecified range-calculation
metric—but we’d expect the eventual U.S.-spec car to be close to 250
miles, which is the same EPA range figure that Hyundai has said it
expects for the Kona Electric. The Niro EV will also offer a smaller
(and presumably cheaper) 39.2-kWh battery pack with a quoted 149 miles
of range, although it’s not clear if this version will make it to the
United States.
As
far as looks, the production car is considerably toned down from the
bulbous, futuristic-looking concept. It essentially looks like a
standard Niro with a closed-off grille, different wheels, reshaped
bumpers and air intakes, and blue trim accents. Presumably its
aerodynamic profile is more slippery than that of the hybrid and the
PHEV, though Kia isn’t sharing much info at this point. Expect to hear
more about the Niro EV in the coming months as Kia prepares this
electric crossover for its arrival in America.
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