Continental Trading Enterprises, the sole authorized distributor of Kia Motors in Nepal, has recently launched the new all-electric SUV — the Niro EV, also known as e-Niro with an introductory price of NPR 66.90 lakh. The Kia e-Niro has two variants: 64kW battery and 39.2kW battery pack model.
Unlike Hyundai, Kia Motors has launched the 64kW battery model to eliminate the range anxiety which provides extra 150km of range than that compared to the Hyundai Kona‘s 39.2kW battery which provides 300km of range.
The Kia Niro EV comes with a massive 64kWh battery paired to an electric motor that powers the front wheels. The EV makes 200 BHP and 395 Nm of instant torque which propels the Niro EV from 0-100 Km/h in 7.8 seconds making it the fastest electric cars available in the country. The battery on the Niro EV provides a range of 450 kilometers.
As per Kia, the EV can fast charge from 20% to 80% in 42 minutes for the 64kWh battery/150kW motor with a fast charger from 80kW and above or normal charge in 9.5 hours (up to 100%).
The e-Niro, however, looks as the regular Niro beside it misses out the signature Tiger Nose Grill, replaced by the charging ports covered with the plastic seal. Upfront it gets the aggressive-looking headlamps with LED DRLS and fog lamps below it which also houses other DRLs.
Apart from that, it has the blue treatment on the front and the back to stand out as an electric vehicle. The side profile seems to be straightforward with a tapered window line and the bold wheel arch. The e-Niro rides on 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. On the back, it gets the bold LED brake light which looks distinctive in profile. The e-Niro can hold up to 451 liters on its boot space.
The cabin is spacious and houses modern design elements along with the new technologies and new features. There’s a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system on the center which features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The traditional physical transmission has now been replaced by the new ‘shift by wire’ dial drive selector. Besides that it gets electronic parking brake, heated and ventilated front seats, drive mode selector, parking sensors, and Auto Hold function.
On the safety side, the Niro EV offers Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Kia Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, Smart cruise control, Forward collision avoidance, Lane follow assist, High beam assist, and electronic parking assist.
