2018 Kia Niro EV spied
The all-electric Kia Niro EV has been spied during development testing in Germany this week.
Despite being shrouded in heavy camouflage, we’d suggest the Niro EV will bear a strong resemblance to the Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid (below).
The Niro prototype was also spied alongside a camouflaged version of the upcoming Hyundai Kona EV. It’s expected the two electric crossovers will share elements of their underpinnings and technology suite.
Reports claim the Kona EV will come with two battery options: a 39.2kWh variant and a long-range 64.2kWh version. Hyundai is targeting a 390km+ range with the standard car, while reports suggest the larger unit will be capable of over 500km on a single charge.
Should the Niro get the same standard inclusions, it may get a slightly shorter driving range due to its larger size and the inevitable weight that brings compared to the more compact Kona, though a sub-$40,000 electric car with over 350 kilometres of range is no shameful feat.
Little else is known about the upcoming EV, though the current Hyundai Ioniq EV puts out 88kW and 295Nm from its electric motor – and its smaller 28kWh battery pack claims a range of up to 280km.
It’s unclear whether Kia’s local arm would bring the Niro EV here, either, as neither the Niro hybrid or plug-in hybrid are offered in Australia.
Hyundai, meanwhile, is quite keen on both the Ioniq EV and Kona EV – maybe Kia will follow suit?
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