Kia Niro EV Concept Photo Gallery – Click Tabs Above to Advance
Staying true to form, Kia is unveiling an all-electric concept of the Niro to round out the model’s lineup. It will complete a portfolio of six cars across the Kia and Hyundai brands sharing the same underpinnings. The others are the Niro Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid, as well as the three versions of the Hyundai Ioniq. The company will unveil the Kia Niro EV at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which takes place on January 8.
We don’t know a whole lot about the Kia Niro EV just yet, as no technical specifications were available at time of writing. However, since this car will likely share a drivetrain with the Hyundai Ioniq, we can safely make a few assumptions. The Ioniq makes 124 miles of range from its 28-kWh battery, making it one of the most efficient electric vehicles on the market. The EPA rates the Ioniq at 136 MPGe.
The Kia Niro – also incredibly efficient, at least in hybrid guise – probably won’t make the same range with the same battery pack. While the Ioniq is more a traditional hatchback, the Niro apes modern crossovers. Although it is small, the Niro is larger and heavier than its Hyundai sibling. Therefore, to get the same amount of range, it will likely need a beefier set of batteries. One detail Kia did mention was that the Niro EV will have a “highly efficient battery-electric powertrain”.
Hyundai’s Ioniq makes 118 horsepower and 218 lb-ft of torque from its electric motor, and we’d expect the Kia to be largely the same on the output front.
Kia Niro EV Sports New Styling Cues
You can’t see much, but the Niro EV concept pictures teased here show an updated styling package. The front end looks sharper, with new headlights and running lights that are less bulbous than before. The fog lights have been revamped, and the bumper has also been revised. One flourish here, judged from the picture above, is what looks like a front spoiler. It looks cool on the concept, but we doubt that will make it to production.
Around the back, the Kia Niro EV sports LED lighting, as it does in the front. We also see the same Y-shaped lighting that adorn the front fog lamps (or daytime running lights, as may be the case on the production version).
The illuminated “Niro EV” into the rear bumper is a nice touch. Although, it’s unclear whether that was just done for the concept or if that’s an actual production element. The company is touting this car and its Ioniq sibling as parts of a grander plan for connectivity, user-interface features and future mobility.
We expect the production version of the Kia Niro EV to arrive later this year, as Kia just launched the Plug-in Hybrid version. Check back to TFLcar.com for more updates. Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow on YouTube for the latest videos on your favorite new models! Watch the video below for our take on the current hybrid Niro:
