As car and truck enthusiasts, we in the TFL office all love to do a good burnout. There’s something about smoking tires and the smell of burnt rubber that just soothes the soul. It’s easy enough to break the rear wheels lose when you’re in a massively powerful V8-engined car like, say, a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. I mean, come on, huge burnouts and insane acceleration on the drag strip are the only two reasons the SRT Demon exists. But with the impending, soul-crushing arrival of electric cars, surely the days of smoky burnouts are numbered, aren’t they?
Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. What’s even better is that you don’t need a powerful electric car to lay down some rubber. Take this 2019 Kia Niro EV as a good case in point. While Tesla makes a strong case for electric car performance with its Dual Motor and Performance models, other electric cars are still efficient, yet relatively dull means of getting from A to B. At least this electric car splits the difference with an electric motor strong enough to break the front wheels loose on command.
Horsepower is fun, but so is (instant) torque
And unlike some electric cars, you can still turn the traction control off. See, guys? That’s all we wanted. Well, that and at least a nodding glance at fun and dynamic. The 2019 Kia Niro EV does manage 201 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from its electric drivetrain, which is available the instant you put your foot down. First impressions are that you need to be mindful of that in certain situations, but at least it means the ever-appreciated burnout should still be a thing in electric cars of the future.
Actually, we’re on the cusp of an exciting time in car history, and we’re testing these EVs to see what they’re like to live with on the edge of automakers’ latest advancements in the industry. We’ll be testing the Niro EV and others over the next several months, so stay tuned! The 2019 LA Auto Show is set to have some more dynamic electric models on hand too, and we’ll be front and center covering those reveals as well.
