The Kia Niro EV SUV: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Kia Niro EV SUV

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Kia Corporation, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is fast developing a portfolio of lower emission ‘eco’ vehicles, to include zero-emission battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The BEVs and PHEVs range includes:

• The all-electric Kia Niro EV
• The all-electric Kia Soul EV
• The all-electric Kia EV6
• The all-electric Kia EV9
• Niro Plug-In Hybrid
• XCeed Plug-In Hybrid
• Ceed Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid
• The all-new Sorento Plug-In Hybrid

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.

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 460 km (WLTP). Expect the real-world range to be closer to 395 km, 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 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds (max power: 201 bhp/ 255 Nm torque). The top speed of the EV is 165 km/h.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Kia Niro EV is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Appealing exterior styling	Vehicle-to-Device (V2D) not standard on all variants
Decent EV range (460 km)	Available in only one battery size
11 kW (3-phase) onboard charger as standard	Not available as all-wheel drive

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The All-Electric Kia Niro EV SUV (credit: KIA)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:	SUV
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Kia Niro EV (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 64.8 kWh
Charging:	100 kW Rapid DC Charging (10%-80%: 45 mins). Onboard charger: 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 6 hrs and 20 mins)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	7 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1585
Width (mm):	1825
Length (mm):	4420
Wheelbase (m):	2720
Boot Space (L):	475

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Niro EV
EV Battery Capacity:	64.8 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	460 km
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	162
Charging:	100 kW Rapid DC Charging (10%-80%: 45 mins). Onboard charger: 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 6 hrs and 20 mins)
Top Speed:	165 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.8 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	182
Max Power (bhp):	201
Torque (Nm):	255
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,739
Colours:	8
NCAP Safety Rating:	N/A

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Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), more commonly referred to simply as, electric vehicles (EVs) or as plug-in electric cars, have come a long way over the past decade and certainly a long way over the past 100 years.

Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation.  Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages.  

In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage.  Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention at that time. 

We are now witnessing a similar fundamental shift in road transportation, as polluting internal combustion engines (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicles are being replaced by low-emission and zero-emission electric vehicles.

In countries like the United Kingdom, a leader in e-mobility, we can expect a comprehensive replacement of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 (UK will ban the sale of new ICE cars in 2030). The UK is not the only country that has a vision of a mass transition to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars.

Since 2011, the global electric vehicle (EV) market has increased at a year-over-year growth rate of over 50%. In 2020, according to the Global EV Outlook 2021 report, the global stock of electric vehicles (EVs) had surpassed 10 million units . In 2015, the Global stock was just over 1 million units.

In 2020, Europe accounted for the largest share of new car registrations of EVs (1.4 million registered electric vehicles), followed by China (1.2 million electric vehicles). In Europe, countries like Norway, Iceland and Sweden continue to show strong leadership in the transition to electric driving. In Norway more than 75% of new cars are electric, followed by 50% in Iceland and 30% in Sweden.

However, this is not just a western phenomenon. A number of countries across the world have announced their support for electric cars, to include India. Pure electric cars are now common sightings in a number of global markets, and EV automotive manufacturers, like California based Tesla Motors are now household brands.

Traditional automotive manufactures have also shown significant commitment to the migration to electric engines, to include Volvo Cars, the Volkswagen Group, Renault, Nissan, Peugeot, Hyundai, Mercedes, Land Rover and many more. Forecast for the sale of EVs suggest up to 30 million electric vehicles to be sold before the end of the current decade.

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Types Of Electric Vehicles (EVs)

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“Electric vehicle” is an umbrella term, and a broad one at that. There are a number of different types of electric vehicles (EVs), each with its distinct characteristics and advantages. These include:

• BEVs: Battery-electric vehicles (pure electric)
• PHEVs: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) combined)
• MHEVs: Mild hybrid electric vehicles (internal combustion engine (gasoline or diesel) along with regenerative braking)
• FCEVs: Fuel cell electric vehicle (electric with hydrogen as fuel)

The above “types” are powered either entirely or partially by electric energy and have different environmental impacts.

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Battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs)

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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), also known as pure electric vehicles, are powered entirely by electricity (i.e. the vehicle does not have a conventional internal combustion engine). BEVs have zero-tailpipe emissions and help improve local air quality.

BEVs are also very economical to drive. A BEV can cost as little as Rs 50 per 100 kilometres to drive. Examples of best-selling EVs include, the all-electric Tesla Model 3 and the all-electric Renault Zoe. A BEV is charged by plugging in the electric vehicle to a dedicated electric car charging station (home or public charging stations). BEVs are well suited for those living in towns, cities and urban centres. Of course, battery-electric vehicles are also suitable for those living in rural settings.

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Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)

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Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) differ from battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), in that, PHEVs use both a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric engine for propulsion. Plug-in hybrid vehicles combine the advantages of electric driving and internal combustion engine driving.

On shorter distances, the PHEV uses the electric mode to drive emission-free, using the on-board EV battery and regenerative braking. For longer distances, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles switches to using the internal combustion engine.

With a PHEV, the vehicle can cost as little Rs 50 per 100 kilometres to drive on e-mode, without any tailpipe pollution, and also be driven long-distances, without the fear of range anxiety! Most PHEVs have an EV battery of up to 15 kWh and can achieve a zero-emission electric range of up to 50 kilometres.

No wonder PHEVs are fast becoming popular globally, with much potential or India. Like a BEV, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is charged by using an external power source (EV charging point) for charging.

PHEVs are suitable for those that drive long-distances on a regular basis but want to lower the negative environmental impact from tailpipe pollution. PHEVs are also suitable for those individuals and families that are seeking to save money by taking advantage of electric driving. The Volvo XC40 PHEV and the Volkswagen Golf 8 are good examples of PHEVs.

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Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles (MHEVs)

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Mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs) are a limited form of electric driving. These vehicles also use hybrid technologies (electric driving and internal combustion engine), but the EV battery is much smaller than a BEV or PHEV.

Moreover, in a mild hybrid, the EV battery cannot be charged via an external source (i.e. EV charging station). In a MHEV, the battery is charged by capturing the energy released during braking, a process known as regenerative braking. MHEVs have lower tailpipe emissions, and are more economical to own, run and maintain than petrol and diesel cars.

MHEVs are a better option than a petrol or diesel car, but not as good an option as a BEV or PHEV. Mild hybrids are well suited for those living in regions with limited charging infrastructure. Again, MHEVs have great potential in India, given the limited public EV charging infrastructure.

The Toyota Prius is a good example of a mild hybrid electric vehicle.

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Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)

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Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) also called hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, have a fuel cell stack that uses hydrogen to generate the electricity needed to power the electric vehicle. The fuel cell generates electricity and pure water vapour that can escape via the tailpipe.

It is capable of generating electricity as long as there is a steady supply of hydrogen. Fuel cell electric vehicles can be refuelled with hydrogen at purpose built filling stations. Filling an FEC takes no more than five minutes.

FCEVs have a range of about 500 kilometers or more between refueling. Today, the only and major limitation is the very limited hydrogen refuelling station network globally. The Toyota Mirai FCEV is a good example of this type of EV.

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