Photo: Kia Niro EV
So you thought that Hyundai is alone in the eco-friendly offensive? Sister brand Kia wants in on the action, and according to the announcement made at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018, there’s a lot of electrification going on. More to the point, the Soul EV will be joined by the electric Niro and four other EVs, in addition to plug-in hybrid models and one fuel-cell electric vehicle. Now that sounds like a plan, alright!
By 2025, Kia plans to launch no less than 16 electrified vehicles, most of them of the crossover flavor because that’s what sells the best. As an appetizer of what’s to come, the Niro EV Concept previews the South Korean automaker’s electrified future, autonomous driving tech and all.
Even though it shares the looks with the Niro Hybrid and Niro Plug-In Hybrid, the Niro EV Concept features lots of styling artificies that won’t see the light of day on the production model. Scheduled to launch in the second half of 2018, the Niro EV will share its platform with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
What isn’t so clear is the battery, powertrain, and driving range. Could Kia share these with Hyundai as well or will it adopt the next-generation powertrain in the Niro EV Concept? It remains to be seen, but on paper, the CES 2018 work of wonder ticks all the right boxes.
The numbers don’t lie: 238 miles (383 kilometers) from a 64-kWh lithium-polymer battery, 150 kW (201 horsepower; 204 PS) of get-up-and-go from an electric motor. It’s not Tesla PxxD quick, nor is it as luxurious, but as a means of personal transport, the Niro EV Concept fits the bill.
In addition to the car and electrified roadmap through 2025, CES 2018 saw Kia announce the plan to roll out a large-scale fleet of autonomous-driving cars on public roads from 2019. It’s the first step in bringing Level 4 autonomy to production models, which are anticipated to integrate the technology from 2021, along with 5G Internet connectivity.
Even though it shares the looks with the Niro Hybrid and Niro Plug-In Hybrid, the Niro EV Concept features lots of styling artificies that won’t see the light of day on the production model. Scheduled to launch in the second half of 2018, the Niro EV will share its platform with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
What isn’t so clear is the battery, powertrain, and driving range. Could Kia share these with Hyundai as well or will it adopt the next-generation powertrain in the Niro EV Concept? It remains to be seen, but on paper, the CES 2018 work of wonder ticks all the right boxes.
The numbers don’t lie: 238 miles (383 kilometers) from a 64-kWh lithium-polymer battery, 150 kW (201 horsepower; 204 PS) of get-up-and-go from an electric motor. It’s not Tesla PxxD quick, nor is it as luxurious, but as a means of personal transport, the Niro EV Concept fits the bill.
In addition to the car and electrified roadmap through 2025, CES 2018 saw Kia announce the plan to roll out a large-scale fleet of autonomous-driving cars on public roads from 2019. It’s the first step in bringing Level 4 autonomy to production models, which are anticipated to integrate the technology from 2021, along with 5G Internet connectivity.
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