Overview
Kia Corporation, the South Korean automotive manufacturer is fast developing a portfolio of lower-emission ‘eco’ vehicles, to include, zero-tailpipe emission battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The Korean automotive company is headquartered in Seoul, and it is South Korea’s second largest automotive manufacturer after the Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai owns a 33.88% stake in Kia Corporation). At one point, the US automotive manufacturer, Ford Motor Company, also owned a stake in Kia.
Kia was found in June 1944, and was formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry. It has also been previously known as Kia Motors Corporation. The Kia name has been derived from the Sino-Korean characters, ‘ki’ (arise) & ‘a’ (Asia) to suggest ‘Rising from Asia’. The Kia Corporation has been active in the European markets since 1991. The Kia electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:
- The all-electric Kia Niro EV
- The all-electric Kia Soul EV
- The all-electric Kia EV6
- The all-electric Kia EV6 GT
- The all-electric Kia EV9
- The all-electric Kia EV3
- Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
- Kia XCeed Plug-In Hybrid
- Kia Ceed Sportswagon Plug-In Hybrid
- Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid
- Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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Read MoreSign up to the e-zoomed Electric Living newsletter
The Kia Niro PHEV SUV
The Kia Niro concept car was first shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Kia Niro compact SUV has been manufactured since 2016. The Kia Niro plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has been available since 2017.
The latest updates to the Kia Niro plug-in hybrid is a welcome improvement for this relatively more affordable PHEV. Kia has increased the EV battery size and pure electric range, and reduced the tailpipe emissions. The updated Niro PHEV has a 11.1 kWh onboard EV battery with a zero-emission electric range up to 40 miles. The previous model had a 30 miles EV range.
Of course, the real-world electric range will be lower than the manufacturer quoted range, but the Niro plug-in electric car should be able to deliver up to 35 miles. This is certainly a useful range, given that the majority of our day-to-day trips are less than 10 miles i.e. school-runs, visit to the local high street, grocery store etc. And for shorter motorway commutes, the 35 miles e-range could help lower motorway motoring costs.
Driving the PHEV on the e-mode will be far cheaper compared to using the petrol internal combustion engine. Depending on the cost of charging an electric car, expect electric driving to cost between 5 pence and 10 pence per mile. We at e–zoomed encourage charging the electric car overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper. The electric vehicle (EV) has a 3.3 kW onboard charger and does not offer DC charging. The Kia PHEV will take up to 3 hours to fully charge.
We also recommend topping up the EV battery on a regular basis. Without keeping the EV battery charged, gaining from electric driving will be a challenge. Do keep in mind that the more often the pure electric mode is used, the better the efficiency of the electric vehicle i.e. improved fuel economy and lower motoring costs.
The Niro PHEV has a claimed fuel economy up to 280 mpg. The real-world fuel economy will be lower, but higher than the conventional combustion engine variant, if the e-mode in the PHEV is used on a regular basis!
The improved tailpipe emissions (23g CO2/km) also helps reduce the local air pollution and for company-car drivers, there is the added benefit of a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate.
The front-wheel drive Kia Niro plug-in hybrid combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. The performance of the compact SUV will not win the Formula One, but it gets the job done. The EV can achieve 0-60 mph in 9.6 seconds and has a top speed up to 104 mph (maximum power: 180 bhp).
The EV offers a decent level of standard features and technology. In terms of practicality, despite the compact size, the PHEV does offer ample legroom and headroom for adults seated at the rear. However, the boot space (348 L) has been impacted due to the placement of the EV battery.
For those keen to gain experience in electric driving without committing to a pure electric car, the Kia Niro plug-in hybrid is worth consideration.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Improved exterior styling | Driving is not inspiring |
| Low tailpipe emissions | Small boot |
| Decent electric range | On board charger limited to 3.3 kW |
Gallery
The Kia Niro PHEV SUV (credit: Kia)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | SUV |
| Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In UK: | Yes |
| Variants (3 Options) |
|---|
| Kia Niro PHEV 2 (from £33,525) |
| Kia Niro PHEV 3 (from £36,275) |
| Kia Niro PHEV 4 (from £39,025) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 11.1 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.3 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2hrs 55 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 23g (CO2/km) |
| EV Battery Warranty: | 7 years or 100,000 miles |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | £1.27 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | £1.67 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | £1.73 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | £1.89 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | £2.03 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| 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) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1545 |
| Width (mm): | 1805 |
| Length (mm): | 4355 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2700 |
| Turning Circle (m): | N/A |
| Boot Space (L): | 348 |
| 1.6 GDi PHEV | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 11.1 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 40 miles |
| Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | N/A |
| Fuel Consumption (mpg): | 280 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.3 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2hrs 55 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 104 mph |
| 0-60 mph: | 9.6 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Max Power (bhp): | 180 |
| Torque (Nm): | 265 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,610 |
| Colours: | 8 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
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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