Five months after being shown as a concept at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Kia Niro EV finally makes its debut in production form at the International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju, South Korea. The fully-electric crossover is a close cousin of the Hyundai Kona EV, which was unveiled in February.
On the outside, the EV version is differentiated from its hybrid and plug-in hybrid siblings through a blanked-out grille incorporating the charging port flap, as well as redesigned air intakes with green highlights and arrowhead-shaped LED daytime running lights. The green highlights extend to the reprofiled rear bumpers, while sportier side skirts and new 17-inch alloy wheels complete the look.
Kia has not provided any power output figures for the EV, but like the Kona EV they should vary depending on the battery pack size. This means that the 39.2 kWh battery, which delivers a claimed 240 km of range, should be paired to a 99 kW (135 PS) electric motor, while the long-range 64 kWh version, good for up to 380 km of range, is expected to feature a 150 kW (204 PS) motor.
On the safety front, the EV retains all of the features of other Niro models, including frontal collision avoidance assist (FCA), lane keeping assist (LKA), smart cruise control (SCC), driver attention warning (DAW) and back collision warning (BCW).
The company says that the Niro EV has received great consumer interest in Korea, racking up 5,000 bookings within three days since the order books opened in February. Kia sold 23,647 units of the Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants last year.
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At least this looks more conventional compared to some EV cars.