PARIS, Oct 4 ― Staying in line with this year's theme to go fully-electric, Kia has brought the e-Niro to the 2018 Paris Motor Show.
After the production version of the Niro EV, dubbed the e-Niro, was unveiled in Korea in May, other parts of the world are finally getting a chance to see it up close. By the end of this year, the model, part of the Niro range, one of the brand's best-selling models in Europe, will be on sale in select European markets.
A single charge of the 64-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery can drive the crossover just over 300 miles (485km) on the WLTP combined cycle, whereas the WLTP urban cycle allows the car to travel up to 382 miles (615km), both options with zero-emissions.
If you're looking for your crossover to be a bit heavier and weighted on the sporty side, it's important to note that the battery is accompanied by a 150-kW motor that helps the vehicle accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds.
When you decide to slow back down, the vehicle has regenerative braking tech to “harvest kinetic energy and recharge the battery pack while coasting or braking,” notes the company. Additionally, the Eco Driving Assistant System offers suggestions to drivers about how to drive in a more energy-efficient fashion. For example, it may advise that you stop accelerating at a particular point as you near an intersection so that you can coast and allow the vehicle to harvest energy via the regenerative tech.
Rather than relying completely on the battery to heat the cabin, the car is equipped with an advanced heat pump that pulls heat from the air and recycles it for use inside the vehicle. This efficient device reduces unnecessary electricity consumption and, therefore, conveniently increases the driving range.
This model incorporates some exclusive design elements, not seen on the Niro Hybrid or Niro Plug-in Hybrid, such as a sleek “tiger-nose grille” and arrowhead-shaped lights.
The Kia e-Niro is expected to launch in select US markets in limited numbers by the end of the year. ― AFP-Relaxnews
