All-Electric Model Joins Kia Niro Lineup

The Kia e-Niro crossover just made its debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. It’s the South Korean automaker’s first all-electric crossover.

This will be the third vehicle in the Niro range, joining the hybrid and plug-in models. It will also be Kia’s second pure-electric vehicle offered globally, following in the Soul EV’s tire tracks.

Two battery capacities will be available in the e-Niro. A 39.2 kWh lithium-ion polymer pack is standard, offering a driving range of up to 193 miles (312 km) on the WLTP combined cycle. It’s matched to a 134-horsepower motor that can move this crossover from a standstill to 62 miles an hour (100 km/h) in 9.8 seconds.

For drivers that want more, a 64-kWh battery of the same chemistry is optional. On the WLTP combined cycle it should deliver a driving range of 301 miles (485 km); on the WLTP urban circuit that figure increases to an impressive 382 miles (615 km).

Further differentiating this upscale version of the e-Niro from the base version, that larger battery pack is paired with a more powerful electric motor, one delivering 201 horsepower and a zero-to-62-mile-an-hour time of just 7.8 seconds.

Improving its driving range, a heat pump helps the HVAC system by recycling energy that would normally be wasted.

SEE ALSO: 2018 Paris Motor Show Coverage

Visually separating this all-electric vehicle from its stable-mates are things like reworked bumpers front and rear, 17-inch wheels, blue exterior accents as well as a slightly more aerodynamic body. Ten exterior paint colors are available.

Inside, one of the biggest changes with this vehicle is the addition of a rotary-dial shifter in lieu of a traditional gear selector. This alteration frees up space on the center console.

Paddles mounted behind the steering wheel allow the driver to change how aggressive the regenerative braking is. Three levels are offered.

The Kia e-Niro’s cabin is further dressed up with a pair of seven-inch displays, one on the dashboard and another in the gauge cluster.

This new all-electric Kia will be, not surprisingly, assembled in South Korea. Production begins in the second half of 2018 with the vehicle going on sale in Europe before the end of the year.

Discuss this story on our Kia Niro Forum.