Kia Corporation, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is fast developing a portfolio of lower-emission ‘eco’ vehicles, to include, zero-tailpipe emission battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The Korean automotive company is headquartered in Seoul, and it is South Korea’s second largest automotive manufacturer after the Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai owns a 33.88% stake in Kia Corporation). At one point, the US automotive manufacturer, Ford Motor Company, also owned a stake in Kia.
Kia was found in June 1944, and was formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry. It has also been previously known as Kia Motors Corporation. The Kia name has been derived from the Sino-Korean characters, ‘ki’ (arise) & ‘a’ (Asia) to suggest ‘Rising from Asia’. The Kia Corporation has been active in the European markets since 1991. The Kia electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
Overview Kia Corporation, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is fast developing a portfolio of lower-emission ‘eco’ vehicles, to include, zero-tailpipe emission battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids….
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Kia Corporation, launched the all-electric Kia e-Niro in 2018 at the International Electric Vehicle Expo in Korea. The Kia Niro concept was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The emission-free e-Niro order book opened in the UK in January 2019, with the initial allocation sold out within three weeks.
The EV won the prestigious 2019 What Car? Car of the Year award. It is the first ever all-electric SUV to win this accolade. The EV was also warded the WhatCar? Car of the Year 2021 award.
Though the first-generation all-electric Niro has been well received, the latest (second generation) incarnation of this popular family electric car, has further improved the proposition on offer. For a start, the exterior styling has transformed the Niro pure electric car from a rather ‘average’ looking car, to a head-turning exterior style, that has infused the EV with more appeal.
Kia has also made improvements to the ‘core capability’ of the electric SUV. The onboard charger has been upgraded to 11 kW (3 phase) and the DC charging capability upgraded to 100 kW. For those with access to three-phase power supply at home or work, the EV can be fully charged in 6 hours and 20 minutes.
For those with a single-phase (7.2 kW) EV charger, the Niro EV can be fully charged in 9 hours and 25 minutes. DC charging is much faster, and the electric car can be charged up to 80% in 45 minutes.
Kia has not increased the onboard EV battery size. The all-new Niro EV retains a 64.8 kWh battery with a claimed zero-emission electric range up to 285 miles (WLTP). Expect the real-world range to be closer to 245 miles, more than sufficient for most day-to-day driving needs and for longer distance motorway commutes.
In terms of technology and features, the Niro electric car has much to offer. Though this is not a standard feature on all Niro EV variants, Kia offers Vehicle-to-Device (V2D) capability for the higher priced trims. V2D enables charging other devices using the onboard EV battery.
For example: a laptop, e-bike, vacuum while on a camping trip! Other feature include: 4.2″ supervision colour cluster display, 8″ touchscreen display, head-up display, speed limit assist, lane follow assist, lane Keep assist system and more. The new Niro EV offers decent interior space and a larger boot space (475 L).
In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive (FWD) Kia Niro EV is decent. The Niro EV can achieve 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds (max power: 201 bhp/ 255 Nm torque). The top speed of the EV is 103 mph.
The EV is suitable for both families and company-car drivers. Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate for electric cars. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet.
You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!
The All-Electric Kia Niro EV SUV (credit: Kia)
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