Although it has already received over 5,000 pre-orders, Kia's new electrical crossover Niro EV is just from today on officially available to customers in South Korea. In Europe, we will be able to see it for the first time in September at a Paris car show, and it will be available at by the end of the year in Europe and US.
Let's remember that this is a battery electric version of Kia Niro, who at first was presented as a hybrid electric car, which was later joined by a plug-in hybrid Niro. Worldwide Kia has so far sold more than 200,000 Niros of the both versions, with sales in Europe exceeding 65,000.
The Kia Niro EV differs from the other two versions by its external specialties, which clearly indicate that it is an electric car, but of course there are even more important differences under the bodywork, especially when it comes to the powertrain. An electric motor that develops 150 kilowatts of power and a torque of 395 Nm and drives front wheels is sufficient for acceleration in just 7.8 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour.
The engine takes energy from a lithium-polymer battery pack under the boot, which provides low center of gravity. The battery pack has a capacity of 64 kilowatt hours, which allows for an electric range of up to 450 kilometers. At a 100-kilowatt speed charger, up to 80% capacity can be reached in 54 minutes. There is also a possibility of a battery pack with smaller capacity of 39.2 kilowatt hours, which will allow a range of up to 300 kilometers.