Do you remember at the beginning of this year when I said I was going to be testing more EVs in 2020? Well thanks to Kia, I have now experienced my first ever electric vehicle in the form of the new Kia e-Niro ‘First Edition’.
As you all know, I was dead set against testing any sort of EV. Well after a week of living with the new e-Niro I’m happy to report that’s it’s absolutely brilliant.
Power and Efficiency:
The e-Niro I recently tested was fitted with a permanent magnet AC synchronous type 64 kWh electric motor which develops 201bhp and 395Nm of torque which I have to say feels very lively and more than happy to be driven hard on the motorway or rumble around in urban towns, a large city or the tiny green village where I actually live.
Of course, it’s an (EV) – which means – it goes like stink and the electric motor that propels you from zero to hero in no time at all is powered by a bank of batteries that are capable of storing a large amount of electricity (like you never knew that).
Moving on. Well, I guess you all want to know what the range is I suppose? Well, again – I’m happy to report that I travelled well over 280 miles on one full charge.
Then, when comes to performance – the e-Niro is more than capable of reaching 0-60 in just over 7.5 seconds (but it felt well quicker), and in no time at all, it will reach a top speed of 104 mph.
Not super fast, but the speed limits on the UK roads are only 70mph max, so that means there’s plenty left in reserve for the blistering overtaking manoeuvres you can make at every opportunity. Let’s not forget the standing start from the traffic lights that tend to lead you into performing a ‘Santa Pod’ style sort of scenario with the car next to you.
Driving Range:
I suppose we all want to know what it can achieve in a real-life driving scenario and as I mentioned earlier – the Niro is pretty good on a full charge (280miles) Get the e-Niro into city mode and that can increase by quite a lot. So as you can see from the figures here, its pretty good truth be told. As for the battery? Well, capacity is 180Ah with 294 cells and a weight of 457(Kg) This means nothing to me of course because I’m not a scientist, but to some of you out there, it probably means so much more.
On the road:
There is the extra weight that you need to factor in due to carrying many batteries – but to be honest, it felt just like any other crossover you care to mention – and it felt better than the petrol version of the Niro out on the open road I know! ‘I just said that an EV is better than the petrol-engined version’ of this car – but in my defence – it has to be said.
Design & Technology
For me, Kia gives you a lot for very little money in my book, more than most actually. Some of the equipment on my test car in ‘First Edition’ trim included; 17″ Alloy Wheels, 7″ Supervision Cluster with TFT Colour Display, 8-speaker JBL® Premium Sound System, Smart Key & Button Start, Black Leather Upholstery*, LED Headlights with Bi-Function Projection, 10.25″ Touchscreen Satellite Navigation with European Mapping, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keep Assist with Driver Attention Warning & High Beam Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and a whole load more features that makes the e-Niro stand out.
To sum up:
The e-Niro is one of the first EVs that I have tested – and I like it a lot. The Kia e-Niro is a no-fuss crossover that in essence is just a really good stylish vehicle for any family wishing to find a perfect partner in the green world we now all strive to live in. Five stars for Kia.
Price: £32,995 (as tested) after £3,500 government grant.
