South Korean car maker KIA Motors has unveiled the Niro EV compact crossover in its production guise at the the 5th International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju, South Korea. The car was first showcased as a concept at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January this year, and the production-spec model borrows several cues from the former. The new KIA Niro EV will be making its global debut at the Paris Motor Show later this year, until then though, here's everything we know about the all-new offering. The Niro EV is part of KIA's ACE (Autonomous, Connected and Eco/Electric) strategy, which plans to introduce 16 electrified vehicles by 2025.
The 2019 KIA Niro EV remains identical to the gasoline powered version, but of course there noticeable changes over the standard version to denote the electric powertrain. There are now blue strips across the bumper and air intakes, indicative of a hybrid model. The car has also been given what KIA calls a new faux 'tiger nose' grille, which is closed off to improve the car's aerodynamics. The KIA Niro EV crossover also gets LED fog lamp while the front and rear bumpers get faux grilles to retain the look. The Niro EV looks identical to its standard sibling and gets a likeable design.
(Power and torque figures are yet to be revealed on the 2019 KIA Niro EV)
The EV technology is likely to be borrowed from within the Hyundai Motor Group. The powertrain is said to be similar to the Hyundai Ioniq EV, which was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 in India this February. Compared to the concept, KIA has made a few changes to the range of the Niro EV. The car comes with a 64 kWh battery and has a claimed range of 380 km on a single charge. A lower capacity variant will also be available with a 240 km range from a 29.3 kWh battery.
KIA is yet to reveal details on the power and torque figures, while the interior still remains hidden from the public. That said, the cabin will remain identical to the standard version; albeit with plenty of changes. The concept version from 2018 CES made 201 bhp, and won't be surprising if the production spec version has numbers in a similar ballpark. Complete details on the 2019 KIA Niro EV will be available later this year when it makes its global debut in Paris.
Meanwhile, KIA Motors officially announced its entry to India at the Auto Expo 2018 and will be coming with a host of models. The Hyundai Motor's sister concern will commence operations with the launch of the SP Concept based compact SUV that was revealed at the Expo, which will be followed by four other models to be launched over a span of 18 months. The automaker's first manufacturing facility is coming up in Andhra Pradesh.
