Kia Niro BEV

[GRA]

See viewtopic.php?f=26&t=25212&p=580964#p580964 for changes to EA's pricing for Hyundai and soon, Kia.

[GRA]

IEVS: Kia gets same EA price deal as Hyundai.

[GRA]

GCC:

Hyundai and Kia continuing to develop heat pump technology for EVs

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/0 ... aikia.html

. . . A study carried out by Korea’s Ministry of the Environment on the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV found that the heat pump significantly reduced battery consumption in cold conditions. When each car was driven in temperatures of -7°C (19°F) with the HVAC system activated, they were able to maintain 90 percent of their driving range compared to journeys undertaken at an ambient 26°C (79°F) – setting a new benchmark for other EVs. . . .

[DougWantsALeaf]

Kia Niro going to 80kWh battery in 2021???

https://www.hotcars.com/kia-niro-ev-202 ... 441Bs9kL6E

[GRA]

^^^ Definitely needed, if it's going to compete on EPA range with the ID.4, Kona, 2020 Bolt et al, although the heat pump gives it a real world range in colder weather that's probably equal or greater compared to at least the latter two. That extra 16kWh should boost EPA combined range to at least 270 and maybe even 300, assuming no extra weight and the same efficiency, and 20-25 miles less EPA highway.

The next question is are they also boosting the max. charge rate, to say 120kW (1.5C)? I think anything less than 100kW would be seen as inadequate for a pack that size.

[cwerdna]

Niro was mentioned at https://web.archive.org/web/20201119153 ... tric-cars/: "Kia Niro EV owners reported problems such as having to replace a bearing in the electric motor".

Niro EV at https://web.archive.org/web/20201123161 ... able-cars/ got a reliability score of 18 out of 100, which is very bad and pretty bad for an EV.

Since I don't monitor HyunKia forums/groups, I came across https://insideevs.com/news/461090/owner ... or-issues/ w/some videos of the noise. Some of the electronic noise is just the pedestrian noisemaker but the gearbox/motor noise is pretty bad. Sounds like these problems aren't that isolated given how few of these vehicles have been sold at least in the US.

[LeftieBiker]

Kia Niro EV owners reported problems such as having to replace a bearing in the electric motor.

See, now that's just the sort of job I'd let the dealership do, instead.

[DougWantsALeaf]

A Kia dealership in the western suburbs of Chicago now has some Niro EVs. I was shocked when I pulled up into whole foods to get some free evgo juice (still have 6 months of nctc left) and a Niro ev with an Illinois registration tag. I was blown away (and frustrated i would have to wait for the charger). Sure enough Bob Rohrman in Schaumburg has 7 Niro EVs. I thought they were still a year away.

We are still A couple years from getting our next ev, depending in where our kids end up and their car needs, but fantastic to have another choice in the Midwest.

Not much of a discount on them, so likely your are at 39-40K before fed rebate, but option none the less.

[cwerdna]

^^^^
Indeed. The other day, someone was brought up Niro BEV on a FB group I'm on and I had to ask where the OP was from. He said IL. IL was AFAIK not a CARB state and when I did an inventory search using a random Chicago zip code, there were surprisingly some available.

I guess HyunKia has finally moved beyond (in the US) only selling/leasing them in CARB emission states.

[DougWantsALeaf]

The woman explained to me that this dealer had sent someone for the special tech training, so guessing availability is limited. I do like the Niro, though didnt find it quite as comfortable as the Leaf...maybe the one with ventilated seats might change my mind.

Its a good sign in any case. Hopefully more dealers to come.