► New Kia Niro EV scooped
► It’s the pure electric model
► Caught testing in Germany
The Kia Niro range is about to spawn a pure electric model – and our spies have caught it testing in public ahead of a 2018 launch.
Sister brands Hyundai and Kia are following a multi-powerplant strategy with many of their models (witness the Ioniq range) and it’s no surprise that the Niro is gaining a pure EV version too.
The group is planning to have 31 electrified vehicles on sale by 2020 and the electric Niro is one of those. This is the first time we’ve seen it on durability testing.
How do you know this is the Kia Niro EV?
It was caught alongside the Hyundai Kona EV being developed in tandem. Using the same powertrain from the Ioniq EV would bring a 28kWh lithium-ion battery for a range of 174 miles; however, our sources suggest that a choice of battery capacities could be offered to make a 300-mile range feasible (on paper, at least).
The styling of the hybrid and pure EV Niro models is slightly different; this all-electric model flips its charging port to the left hand side of the grille – and it looks like the foglights have been recontoured too.
Expect to see the electric Kia Niro at the 2018 Geneva motor show.
More spyshots from CAR magazine