Kia Niro Electric Range Is Very Impressive - Car Nation Canada
Kia Niro Electric Range Is Very Impressive - Car Nation Canada
Posted on September 28, 2018
European testing of the new Kia Niro Electric has seen the range extended from 236 miles up to 301. Having just completed the new Worldwide Harmonized Light-Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), this new Kia goes further than most other EVs on the market.
This new range beats most other EVs by miles and challenges Tesla even though it costs much less. Early testing in Korea showed the Kia Niro Electric could achieve 236 miles between charges. That was impressive enough but having completed the new EU testing, it has been rated there at 301 miles. That’s even more impressive!
Worldwide Harmonized Light-Vehicle Test Procedure
The Worldwide Harmonized Light-Vehicle Test Procedure is a new test devised in the European Union for testing vehicles. The idea was to replace lab testing that often bore no resemblance to the driver experience with something that would replicate real life.
The test uses driving data to assess miles per gallon, emissions and other measurements to provide a clearer, closer to real life picture of what a car is capable of. The end result is a better picture of what a car can do in the real world, what power it delivers, what emissions it produces and what kind of pollutants it emits. This test has shifted car data from manufacturers favour to the consumers. We now have access to real life data instead of idealized lab test data.
2019 Kia Niro EV
The upcoming 2019 Kia Niro EV is going to change how we view electric vehicles forever. Even before these tests showed a 301 mile range, this green Kia was going to sell exceptionally well. With a great design, two battery options and all the comfort and technology you would expect, I think these are going to become a firm fixture on our streets.
The 2019 Kia Niro EV has an electric motor with an output equivalent to 201 hp and 291 lb-ft of torque. It will come with either a 39.2kW or 64kW battery. The tests in Europe used the 64kW version. The 39.2 battery is expected to offer up to 193 miles of range. Charging takes around an hour to go from zero to 80% with a 100kW fast charger, which is excellent.
So far, the 2019 Kia Niro EV compares very well with other EVs on the market. Charging is on par with the competition but range is better than most. The 75kW Tesla Model 3 is more expensive, charges in the same time but cannot go as far.
I’m looking forward to the 2019 Kia Niro EV. It has good looks, is full of technology and if it has 301 miles of range for a larger EV, all the better. I for one cannot wait!
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