Kia e-Niro: an electric SUV that says goodbye to range anxiety

The final figures and all the technical specifications of the Kia e-Niro, the electric SUV that sets range records, are now known.

We had previously told you about the Kia e-Niro, but we had to wait until the recent Paris Motor Show to learn its final technical specifications in detail. This is of great importance, especially when we are talking about an electric car, where range comes into play. The new Kia e-Niro is set to revolutionise the offer of “affordable” electric cars, alongside the Renault ZOE, Nissan Leaf or the very Hyundai Kona Electric. At another level are the Jaguar I-Pace or Audi e-tron, for obvious reasons.

Until we know its price, which should not be very different from that of the Hyundai Kona, here are some of the reasons why the Kia e-Niro may be an interesting purchase… even if you had not considered an electric car from the start.

The electric SUV in its class with the most range

The Kia e-Niro is claimed to offer up to 455 km of range, thanks to its high-capacity lithium-ion polymer batteries, with no less than 64 kWh. And without any trickery, these are figures according to the WLTP cycle. If instead of the urban cycle we focus on city range, the Kia e-Niro will easily exceed 500 km on a single charge.

This means the Kia e-Niro is not only an alternative to any of the electric cars currently available on our market, setting aside premium models for obvious price reasons. It is also an alternative to equivalent cars with combustion engines.

Two versions to choose from

How and for what will you use the car? With the Kia e-Niro you can choose between two motor and battery versions. With the high-capacity battery the motor delivers 150 kW (204 CV) and 395 Nm of torque. This allows the e-Niro to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in almost sports-car figures: just 7.8 seconds.

For those who do not need as much power or range, and want to access a Kia e-Niro at a more modest price, there is the standard-battery version, offering a capacity of 39.2 kWh, which leaves range at 289 km.

In this case the motor makes do with 100 kW (136 CV), enough for the e-Niro to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 9.8 seconds. Top speed is 167 km/h on the more powerful e-Niro and 155 km/h on the shorter-range variant. Recharging the e-Niro from 20 to 80 percent takes only about 40 minutes using a 100 kW fast charger.

Versatility of use

The versatility of the Kia e-Niro does not come solely from a range that is a benchmark in its class. With the battery placed under the floor between the two axles, the e-Niro offers ease and driving pleasure on any type of road, keeps a cabin with space for five passengers, and a boot with 451 litres of capacity, which can be expanded to 1,405 litres by folding down the rear seatbacks.

All the driver-assistance and infotainment systems now common on the brand’s latest models are also included. This covers the forward collision warning, automatic high beams, intelligent cruise control and the lane-keeping assistant, capable of controlling acceleration, braking and steering.

7-year or 150,000 km warranty

Beyond the maintenance advantages of an electric car compared with one with a combustion engine, the Kia e-Niro adds, relative to other electric rivals, the Kia warranty, which runs to 7 years or 150,000 kilometres. This covers both the battery and the electric motor.