Photo: Kia
Following the hybrid and plug-in hybrid, the Niro family will welcome a third member in the United States by the end of the year. Combining know-how from the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Kona Electric, the Kia Niro EV will be available in this part of the world in “limited quantities.”
By that, the South Korean automaker also implies limited availability. Reading between the lines, CARB states such as California are likely to get the Niro EV first. An older article from Business Korea quotes an initial production run of 21,000 units, but heaven knows how many of those will arrive stateside.
Going on sale for the 2019 model year, the electric version of the Niro is listed under the “upcoming vehicles” section of the website along with the K900 full-size sedan and Forte compact sedan. Previewed by a concept in January and launched at the Busan Motor Show in June, the Niro EV churns out 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque from an electric motor that drives the front wheels.
The battery is available in two capacities in South Korea: 39.2 kWh for 240 kilometers of range and 64 kWh for 380 kilometers. The U.S. website says that Kia is targeting up to 240 miles on a single charge, translating to 386 kilometers. What this means in return is that the larger of two batteries could be the sole option around here.
We’re told the “intelligently designed modern shifter was pulled directly from the Niro Electric Vehicle concept car” presented at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, going along with “distinctive blue interior accents and updated available 17-inch alloy wheels.” From a visual standpoint, the intake grille of the hybrid and plug-in hybrid is replaced by the charging port in this application.
Even though Kia smoothed out the front fascia to cut through the air as efficiently as possible, the Niro EV retains the tiger-nose grille the automaker uses on every single one of its models.
In regard to pricing, the Niro EV will slot somewhere between the plug-in hybrid ($27,900) and Soul EV ($33,950). In the case of the Ioniq, which also features three levels of electrification, Hyundai priced the eco-friendly hatchback at $22,200, $24,950, and $29,500, respectively. Our guesstimate for the 2019 Kia Soul EV is in the ballpark of $32,000.
Going on sale for the 2019 model year, the electric version of the Niro is listed under the “upcoming vehicles” section of the website along with the K900 full-size sedan and Forte compact sedan. Previewed by a concept in January and launched at the Busan Motor Show in June, the Niro EV churns out 201 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque from an electric motor that drives the front wheels.
The battery is available in two capacities in South Korea: 39.2 kWh for 240 kilometers of range and 64 kWh for 380 kilometers. The U.S. website says that Kia is targeting up to 240 miles on a single charge, translating to 386 kilometers. What this means in return is that the larger of two batteries could be the sole option around here.
We’re told the “intelligently designed modern shifter was pulled directly from the Niro Electric Vehicle concept car” presented at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, going along with “distinctive blue interior accents and updated available 17-inch alloy wheels.” From a visual standpoint, the intake grille of the hybrid and plug-in hybrid is replaced by the charging port in this application.
Even though Kia smoothed out the front fascia to cut through the air as efficiently as possible, the Niro EV retains the tiger-nose grille the automaker uses on every single one of its models.
In regard to pricing, the Niro EV will slot somewhere between the plug-in hybrid ($27,900) and Soul EV ($33,950). In the case of the Ioniq, which also features three levels of electrification, Hyundai priced the eco-friendly hatchback at $22,200, $24,950, and $29,500, respectively. Our guesstimate for the 2019 Kia Soul EV is in the ballpark of $32,000.
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