IT seems as if we’re not going to have much choice when it comes to the future of motoring than choose electric — actually, finding a manufacturer that sells petrol or diesel cars are getting consistently fewer.
Electric vehicles have come an extremely long way in the last decade, with an estimated 414,000 EV sales this year alone.
I’ve spent a lot of time in a variety of EVs, from one of the first to hit the consumer market (Tesla) to the large, super-luxury vehicles produced by large German brands.
Even in the past couple of years, the public charging infrastructure has expanded rapidly, and it’s become extremely simple to ‘tap and go’ when charging an EV away from home.
I’m not going to lie; I had a nightmare with broken charging points when I drove the new Kia EV9 at the start of the year from Sussex to Milton Keynes, but I’m willing to put all that behind me to test the Kia E-Niro.
The Niro was launched in 2018 with a Hybrid drivetrain, soon to be followed by a plug-in hybrid and an all-electric model named the E-Niro. It’s received numerous awards, with 80,000 units sold across the globe in 2023.
The second generation of the E-Niro we tested boasts a 285-mile range of a full charge, which for the first time, is a believable, real-life figure, unlike some of the other EVs I’ve driven over the years. It’s a vehicle that actually reduces ‘range anxiety’ as it’s soon obvious that the remaining battery level remains consistent and relative to your manner of driving.
We were sent a vehicle with a top-of-the-range trim level (4) and housing a 64.8kWh battery, which can receive a decent charge in around 45 minutes from a fast charger. Unfortunately, I don’t have the privilege of a dedicated car charger at home, so I can only use a traditional 230v charge via a three-pin plug or use the fast charger we’re seeing popping up at most of the local fuel stations.
Kia didn’t supply a three-pin adapter with this test vehicle, so I was forced to use the fast chargers which certainly aren’t cheap. So, it’s always best to trickle charge from home overnight which can lead to huge cost savings, especially if you’re lucky enough to have solar panels on your home.
The E-Niro has an SUV-style driving position and certainly has the interior space of one. Due to there being no drivetrain going through the centre of the car, passengers get tonnes of space throughout the cabin with numerous storage bins.
At 4,420mm long, 1,825mm wide and 1,570mm high, the Niro has been designed to offer maximum interior space while remaining a ‘compact’ SUV. The wheelbase of 2,720mm allows enhanced interior space, offering improved comfort and cargo space over the previous generation, according to Kia.
Premium-effect recycled materials cover the cabin to compliment the interior space and underline Niro’s sustainable credentials. The dash and driver controls feature minimal clutter and smooth lines to ensure a distraction-free yet intuitive user experience.
We took the chance to test the boot space in the E-Niro with a number of newspaper deliveries around the area. There’s a huge amount of space, easily squeezing in 20 bundles, which obviously adds a lot of weight to the vehicle, but that had no real effect on the range over a distance that we could tell.
Overall, we had a great seven days in the E-Niro, and it proved to be an excellent all-rounder, as well as a practical and comfortable EV. Although I’m a huge Kia fan, this car wouldn’t be for me — it’s just a bit too ‘normal’.
My philosophy is that I always need to drive a car that makes you look back at it when you’ve got out. The E-Niro doesn’t make me look back over my shoulder in admiration. However, the upcoming EV3, which is due to hit the roads in the very near future, excites me a lot.
The baby EV9 lookalike ticks most boxes for me as I start to look to go electric, probably next year. Watch this space as we get to take an early peek at the EV3 later this month.