Kia has confirmed the Niro EV will be in Australian showrooms in the latter stages of 2019.
The Niro EV, called the e-Niro (clever), is Kia’s first fully electric SUV and the car needed to stoke some much-needed competition into the local market. For those out of the EV loop, the e-Niro is related to the Hyundai Kona EV which will be available sooner.
In European markets, the e-Niro is available with either a 39.2kWh or 64kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. The smaller capacity battery provides a range of up to 312 kilometres (193 miles) from a single charge on the WLTP combined cycle.
Opting for the larger battery pack gives the car a range of 485 kilometres when fully charged. On the urban cycle, the 64kWh option is capable of driving up to 615km thanks to new energy-harvesting and predictive driving assistant technologies.
The standard 39.2kWh battery is matched to a 100kW electric motor, also producing 395Nm torque, and accelerating to 100km/h from a standstill in 9.8 seconds.
Models equipped with the long-distance 64kWh battery pack are paired with a 150kW motor, delivering an identical 395Nm torque, enabling the e-Niro to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds.
Plugged into a 100 kW fast charger, it takes only 42 minutes to recharge the e-Niro’s battery from 20 per cent to 80 per cent.
The e-Niro measures in at 4375mm long, 1805mm wide and 1560mm tall with a 2700mm wheelbase. Kia is happy to point out the car’s packaging, the positioning of the battery pack hasn’t impacted negatively on interior space, the cargo area is said to offer a competitive 451-litre capacity.
Design-wise, Kia’s familiar tiger-nose grille is front and centre and houses an integrated charging port.
Inside, the e-Niro features a bespoke layout with a new shift-by-wire ‘dial’ gear selector.
To get buyers a bit excited, or to prove some Kia designers have too much free time, the car will come equipped with a new mood lighting system to jazz up the centre console and the shifter.
The 7.0-inch infotainment system will offer additional functionality so drivers can monitor the EV powertrain information on-the-move.
Kia has loaded the Niro EV with plenty of safety kit including autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control with stop & go and lane following assist which is a ‘Level Two’ autonomous driving technology. The Level Two tech is clever enough to track cars in front, detect road markings and control acceleration, braking and steering using external sensors. It can work at speeds between 0 and 130km/h.
Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, said: “Annual sales of electric vehicles across Europe are expected to reach 200,000 this year, rising to nearly one million units by the end of 2022, while the crossover market is also forecast to continue expanding in the coming years. The e-Niro is a clear demonstration of the progress Kia has made in delivering comfortable, practical and fun-to-drive vehicles that lead the way in zero-emissions driving.”
The new e-Niro joins existing hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants of the car – of which more than 200,000 have sold globally since the Niro’s introduction in 2016. The e-Niro is to be Kia’s second globally-sold electric vehicle after the Soul EV.
All we need to know now is the price…
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