The Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid 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 Sportage PHEV 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
• Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
• Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid
• Kia XCeed Plug-In Hybrid
• Kia Ceed Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid
• The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid

The Kia Sportage, now in its fifth-generation, has always been a popular SUV. However, with the addition of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the family SUV has become even more compelling. Of course, given the lower tailpipe emissions (25g CO2/km), the Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) will be just as popular with company-car drivers.

The Sportage plug-in hybrid SUV has a 13.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a WLTP certified zero-emission electric range up to 70 km. Adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the Sportage plug-in should comfortably deliver an emission-free pure electric range over 55 km, useful for city and shorter distance motorway driving!

For those new to electric driving, it is worth noting that many factors influence the real-world electric car range. Some of these include: driving style, temperature, elevation, wind, rain, road surface, tyre size, onboard services used etc. Do keep in mind that driving on the pure electric mode helps reduce the cost of motoring and improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle.

Kia claims the Sportage PHEV can deliver up to 1.1 l/100km. This is certainly impressive, however, do keep in mind, like the real-world electric range, the real-world fuel economy will be less efficient than the manufacturer claimed data. Nevertheless, leveraging the pure electric mode on a regular basis is a must in taking advantage of the benefits of electric driving, to include better fuel economy!

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the electric vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Kia offers a 7 years or 160,000 km warranty.

The Kia PHEV does not offer DC charging. The EV has a 7.2 kW onboard charger. The Kia electric vehicle can be charged 10% to 100% via a dedicated EV charging station in 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you insist on using a domestic socket for charging, the EV will take up to 5 hours and 27 minutes to fully charge.

The plug-in hybrid SUV comes as an all-wheel drive as standard. The EV combines a 1.6-litre (four-cylinder) turbocharged petrol engine with an onboard electric motor (66.9 kW), powered by the EV battery. Despite the additional weight of the EV battery (140 kg), the PHEV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.

The 6-speed automatic transmission plug-in electric SUV delivers 226 bhp maximum power and 350 Nm torque. Top speed is 191 km/h. The EV has 3 driving modes: comfort, eco and sport mode.

The all-new Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid has an attractive exterior styling, with a good balance between a traditional and futuristic design. The interior cabin is also just as appealing and the level of standard equipment and technology does not disappoint.

In terms of practicality, the SUV has much to offer, in particular, a good boot size (540 L). The only real critique is the potential for limited legroom for taller adults seated in the rear.

The electric vehicle (EV) offers a host of safety features as standard, to include: forward collision-avoidance assist (FCA) – city/pedestrian/cyclist/junction covering, hill-start assist control (HAC), intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA), lane following assist (LFA), lane keep assist (LKA) and more. Also included as standard is a 12.3″ Supervision Colour Cluster Display, 360° around view monitor, blind-spot view monitor (BVM), free 7-year Kia Connect (UVO) services and more.

Bottom-line, the Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid is good for the environment and the wallet! The Kia PHEV is currently not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Low tailpipe emission	Does not offer DC charging
Decent zero-emission electric range	Onboard charger limited to 7.2 kW (single-phase)
All-wheel drive as standard	Rear legroom limited for taller adults

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The Kia Sportage PHEV SUV (credit: Kia)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Vehicle Type:	SUV
Engine:	Petrol-Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 13.8 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 7.2 kW AC (10% – 100%: 1 hr 45 mins)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	25g (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):	1650
Width (mm):	1865
Length (mm):	4515
Wheelbase (mm):	2680
Turning Circle (m):	11.4
Boot Space (L):	540

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1.6 GDi ISG PHEV
EV Battery Capacity:	13.8 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	70 km
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	N/A
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.1
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 7.2 kW AC (10% – 100%: 1 hr 45 mins)
Top Speed:	191 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.9 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	66.9
Max Power (bhp):	226
Torque (Nm):	350
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg):	1,905
Colours:	7
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Pure Electric Cars Available In India

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For most of us in India, recognising an electric car on our roads will be a challenge. Compared to the more matured EV markets, like China and Europe, the availability of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in India is still limited. Having said that, the leading automotive manufacturers in India, like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, have demonstrated leadership in the development and introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, to include, the Tata Nexon EV and the Mahindra eVerito. Tata announced recently it had increased its sale of EVs in India by a whopping 353% in FY22 compared to FY21. Tata sold 19,106 EVs in FY22.

India currently has up to 20 pure electric cars on sale, ranging from Rs 11.99 to Rs 2.05 Crore. Leading international automotive brands like Audi AG, BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Mercedes-Benz, MG Motors, Porsche AG & the Volvo Group have introduced plug-in pure electric cars in India. We can expect many more international automotive companies to follow suit, to include, the famed EV manufacturer, Tesla Inc. In fact, Elon Musk has already made public his intentions to sell Tesla electric cars in India.

For the successful development of the electric driving market, the deployment of widespread EV charging infrastructure is a prerequisite, to include, charging at home and public EV charging stations. In India, electric car charging infrastructure is still at very nascent stages. The total number of public charge points in India are currently a mere 1,742. EV chargers installed at homes is also at a nascent stage.

Lastly, the introduction of cheaper electric cars with longer ranges is vital in building confidence with potential buyers to migrate to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars. EVs at a price point below Rs 20 Lakhs will be key in spurring growth in the Indian EV market. Below is a list of BEVs currently available in India.

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EV	Type Of EV	Price
Audi e-tron	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.00 Crore
Audi RS e-tron GT	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 2.05 Crore
Audi e-tron Sportback	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.19 Crore
Audi e-tron GT	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.8 Crore
BMW iX Electric SAV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.16 Crore
Hyundai Kona Electric	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 23.79 Lakhs
Jaguar I-PACE	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.05 Crore
Mercedes-Benz EQC	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 1.06 Crore
MG ZS EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 21.49 Lakhs
Porsche Taycan	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs. 1.5 Crore
Porsche Cayenne E	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)	Rs 1.58 Crore
Tata Tigor EV	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 11.99 Lakhs
Tata Nexon	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)	Rs 14.24 Lakhs
Volvo XC90	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)	Rs 95 Lakhs

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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