The Niro became Kia’s first dedicated electrified
vehicle when it launched a couple of years ago, debuting first in hybrid form
and then as a plug-in hybrid. Now the Korean automaker is making good on its
promise to offer a fully electric version.
Kia has now revealed the Niro EV at the Busan
Motor Show in South Korea today. It packs an electric motor good for 201
hp and 395 Nm of torque. That’s far more than the
existing hybrid versions, which pack a combined 139 hp and 195 lb-ft of
torque. And it’s enough to send the EV to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds –
significantly quicker than 10.5 seconds it takes the PHEV to reach 60 mph.
Buyers will be able to choose between two
lithium-polymer battery options. The 39.2-kWh pack gives it up to 240 km on a single charge. And a higher-capacity 64-kWh unit provides over 380 km. A 100-kW fast-charger can juice up even the bigger pack to
80 percent capacity in 54 minutes.
With no internal-combustion engine to cool, the
tiger-nose grille is blanked out in all but outline and integrates the charging
port. The new five-spoke 17-inch alloys house the regenerative braking system.
There’s LED lighting at both ends, and light blue accents inside and out to
further set it apart from the hybrid versions. Occupants will also find a
simplified center console, shifter dial, six-color ambient lighting, and
battery-charge info displayed on the same 7.0-inch touchscreen display.
The Niro EV goes on sale in Korea in the second half
of this year, and will reach other global markets “in due course.”
