South Korean automaker Kia Corporation has unveiled its updated Niro small crossover vehicle, with the model now to be offered only as a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). The company said it will begin taking orders for the newly facelifted Niro this month, after the full model changeover took place in early 2022. The model was first introduced in 2016, with cumulative sales exceeding 1.2 million units over the ten-year period.
Kia confirmed that it has dropped plans to produce a battery-powered version of the model, as part of its strategy of producing only battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that have been purposely developed. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Niro was also discontinued last year, as the company focused on improving manufacturing efficiency.
Kia sold just 13,600 Niro models domestically last year, while exports amounted to over 90,000 units, with production taking place at Kia’s AutoLand Hwaseong plant in Gyeonggi Province.
A company spokesperson told reporters: “The Niro EV, which had been produced until the previous model, has been discontinued. We plan to sell the remaining inventory available.”
The Niro HEV features a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a maximum power output of 141 hp, coupled with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission system and a 32 kWh electric motor, achieving a fuel consumption of 20 km per litre.
