Photo by Mark Kennedy / The interior of the Kia Niro EV is simple and functional.The Kia Niro EV doesn't have the name recognition of the all-electric Chevy Bolt or the Tennessee-made Nissan Leaf, but it gets the job done with a stout electric powertrain and appealing styling.
Although it's billed as a small SUV, it's really more of an elevated hatchback powered by a 150KW electric motor with a range of about 239 miles - plenty for most commuter needs. On full charge, the Niro EV can go from downtown Chattanooga to Knoxville and back with 15 miles to spare.
Kia supplied a Snow White Pearl Niro EV EX Premium for a one-week test drive on Chattanooga-area streets and roads. As a full-on electric car - not a hybrid - owners of the Niro EV must be careful to plan their travels around the car's strict range limits. There's also a hybrid Niro for those who want the utility of a gas-electric power-train.
Kia says the Niro EV will charge in about an hour on a DC fast-charging station or about 9-10 hours on a Level 2 240-volt station. We used a regular 110-volt plug in our garage, which seemed to yield about a quarter-charge overnight.
FAST FACTS
* Model: 2019 Kia Niro EV EX Premium* Exterior color: Snow White Pearl* Interior color: Charcoal* Engine: 150KW AC Synchronous Electric Motor* Horsepower: 201* Transmission: one-speed direct drive* Fuel economy: 112 MPGe* Local Dealer: Kia of Chattanooga* Price (as tested): $47,155
Most buyers will see the Kia Niro EV as a commuter-mobile, perhaps a second car.
WHAT IS IT?
A small cross-over style vehicle with room for five passengers. It's powered by a 150KW AC synchronous electric motor that makes 201 horsepower, and about 291 pound-feet of torque. In city driving, that torque is a kick in the pants. For those on a budget, this might satisfy your Tesla Model 3 dreams for thousands less.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
The price of admission to the EV world is not cheap. Our well-optioned Niro EV EX Premium tester has bottom line of $47,155 before any negotiated discounts or tax rebates. Buyers should qualify for a $7,500 federal tax rebate which puts the effective price at just under $40,000. Buyers may also want to consider the cost savings associated with the car's 112 MPGe combined fuel economy, 123 city/102 highway. The government predicts your average annual fuel cost will be about $600, yielding a $4,000 savings in five years over a similarly-sized gas-engine vehicle.
View other Test Drive stories by Mark Kennedy
Looking for a used or new car?
WHAT WE LIKED?
Some of the perks of the EX Premium are an 8-inch touch-screen, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, leather seat trim and a power sunroof. Also standard are heated and ventilated front seats.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Hard plastic surfaces abound on the dash and door panels. We also had a problem disengaging the charging cable from the car.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
While we never ran low on charge, it would take us awhile in a full-EV to stop thinking about the range limit. On the other hand, acceleration in the Niro EV is a hoot. Because of the regenerative braking, you can almost drive the Kia with one pedal. Let up on the gas and the brakes automatically engage to recycle energy and to slow the car.
BOTTOM LINE
We are getting closer to the day when buying a full EV will be a matter of taste. For now, the price premium gives us pause, but the pleasures of silent-acceleration never get old.
Online: In the market for a new vehicle? To access hundreds of Mark Kennedy's Chattanooga Test Drive columns visit www.timesfreepress.com/testdrive.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.comor 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.
Photo by Mark Kennedy / The electric motor makes over 200 horsepower.