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Kia Considers Niro EV to Reduce Overall Emissions

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2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Debut

The Niro Hybrid could soon offer an all-electric powertrain

Kia has been making an effort to go green recently, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to stop anytime soon. The South Korean carmaker recently revealed to United Kingdom-based Car Dealer magazine that it is considering introducing an all-electric version of the new Niro crossover, which is already offered with a hybrid powertrain.

Tae-Hyun Oh, the Chief Operating Officer at Kia Motors, revealed this plan during an opening of the brand’s new flagship dealership on the Great West Road in London. He stated, “We have just launched Niro in Europe and the United States, but also we always need to meet [increased] local emission regulations.”

Right now, the Niro crossover has the same platform and drivertrain as Kia’s sister company Hyundai’s Ioniq model. Since the Ioniq model will be available as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, or an electric vehicle, it wouldn’t be a huge task to build a fully electric EV. Doing so will also align well with Kia’s proposed plan to introduce an entire range of alternatively fueled vehicles. The carmaker wants to offer consumers a wide range of powertrain options, from hydrogen to batteries, rather than stick to a particular alternative fuel.

Oh reiterated this, stating “We are looking at all the possibilities, because we have launched a hybrid, followed by a plug-in hybrid, and we’ve already launched an electric vehicle. So in the coming years, we are prepared to launch a fuel cell. In this sense, I think we are at a good stage to cover everything in the sector.”

An electric Kia Niro would definitely fit in well with Kia’s increasingly eco-friendly lineup. Hopefully, this plan comes to fruition and we get to see this green crossover sometime soon.

News Source: Car Dealer