Kia’s Niro EV is to go on sale in the U.S. in 2019.
SEOUL — Kia will bring its second full-electric global model to the U.S. next year in a bid to tap a sweet spot in the crossover market.
The Niro EV, which follows the subcompact Soul EV in Kia’s battery-powered lineup, options a 64-kilowatt-hour battery that Kia says will deliver a range of 239 miles on a full charge.
It fleshes out an eco-friendly Niro family that already includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. Kia has sold more than 210,000 of the cars globally since their 2016 debut.
Kia will bring the Niro EV to Europe by year end, the company said. It went on sale in South Korea in July and sales reached 976 through August.
Kia hopes the Niro taps into surging demand for crossovers with a more affordable EV offering, as luxury brands bring electrified vehicles into the high end of the segment.
The front-wheel- drive Niro EV will be offered with two lithium ion polymer battery choices: a standard 39.2-kilowatt- hour battery pack and the long-distance 64-kilowatt-hour one.
The base battery is mated to a 100-kilowatt motor that accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 62 mph in 9.8 seconds. It has a range of 153 miles on a full charge, Kia said.
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