Niro EV Possible As Kia Is Looking Into Reducing Carbon Emissions

Set to join the likes of the Soul EV, a zero-emission version of the #Niro is part of #Kia's plans.

Speaking to CarDealerMagazine, the automaker's chief operating officer, Tae-Hyun Oh, revealed the company's plans of bringing a Niro EV to the market, which will follow the hybrid variant of the small crossover.

"We have just launched Niro in Europe and the United States, but also we always need to meet [increased] local emissions regulations. So, in this sense, we are looking at a feasibility study to develop a Niro, which is electric", the Kia official said.

Coming up with a zero-emission version of the Kia Niro will be just a formality, since the car shares the same platform as the Hyundai Ioniq, which comes in three forms: EV, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid. If it will be identical to the model developed by Hyundai, then expect a 28-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, which could deliver a range of 155 miles (250 km) in the NEDC, but in the real world, this means roughly 100-110 miles (161-177 km).

An all-electric Niro is not the only "green" vehicle that the automaker has on the table, as the company is also looking at other options, which could use either batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, Tae-Hyun Oh disclosed. "We are looking at all the possibilities, because we have launched a hybrid, followed by a plug-in hybrid, and we've already launched an electric vehicle. So, in the coming years, we are prepared to launch a fuel cell. In this sense, I think we are at a good stage to cover everything in the sector."