Kia Niro EV

At Bloom today. Very similar to the EV6 inside. If you like the ev6 but want something a bit smaller but with great range this will be a fantastic option.

That's only for the 8" screens. The update for the 10.25" wide screens isn't due until "early June" according to the announcement under the one referenced above.

Strange. The list of eligible vehicles for that update includes Niro EV (MY'20): Standard Gen5W Navigation - which is the wide screen version right?

I noticed that myself but I think that's an earlier build (there's what looks like a date string in the version which aligns to Feb for the wide-screen ones), so not sure if that list is specific to this update, or just the lastest updates for all vehicles.

EDIT: Assuming that is a date, my 212 Niro (MY21) is back on a 2019 build so I'll be trying it myself anyway.

By the way, apart from newer maps, the major thing that's changed in this update is that they've finally fixed the screw up with the speed limit display that kept on displaying "---" instead of the real limit under some circumstances.

I was at Bloom too yesterday and told initial sales will start in September. The car they have is a prototype LHD and came from Italy a few days ago. Apparently Ireland may be getting only 100 Niro K4 EVs this year and I was advised to check with a dealer about ordering. I went to Gowans this morning and was told they may only get 5 if they're lucky and they are already taken. I was told a few months ago no orders were being taken, so I don't get how some orders are already taken. No further orders will be taken until September and then those orders will be for delivery next year :-(

I think someone was asking about EV6 availability and got no answer. Gowans are not being told about prices so we may not know until Sept.

Same crap as back in March 2020 when I got my MY20. We knew it was coming with the wide infotainment screen, but after that, it was a total mystery to both the dealer and I. The big bonus was the 11kW charger with disappointment with no heat pump or led headlights.

Wouldn't swap it for the world. Best decision ever.

To answer my own question, there are three options for upgrade, scheduled, normal and quick. I went with normal on the basis of some research on other sites, and it allows normal use while it transfers files (takes a good hour or more, so candidate for a long drive), and then 8 mins with no infotainment while it applies the update and restarts. Could probably drive during that too, but I didn't try it. I assume the quick option does an all in one and you'd be without infotainment for longer but overall done quicker.

You could do it while driving, takes about 20 minutes to complete.

I saw the car at bloom. Looks well to be fair besides the 2 tone panels. I got talking to the rep and he reckons it will be around 46.5k for pure EV. Id rather pay the extra for EV6 at that price point if true.

That’s the first time I’ve seen the rear bumper looking like that. I don’t even see it on their own site. So perhaps it’s something they did for the show for reasons best known to themselves.

I wonder if that is pre or post SEAI grant. If its after grant price then that would be an extreme price point for it given the EV 6 and the K4 phev prices (only a difference of GBP2k on the UK website between the PHEV K4 and EV K4. Not the best comparision given I don't know what the incentives are in the UK).

I've seen the zebra like markings on other prototypes, not expecting the final versions to have that.

From what I've seen of some of the specs, the EV K4 seems to be more similar to the EV6 GT-line than the EV6 Earth - especially the driver assistance tech. I am tending to go for the Niro EV K4 rather than the EV6 GT-line, a lot of similar features but perhaps ~ 10k less. The EV6 does win on charging times and battery capacity and there should be an AWD option someday, whereas there's no sign of a Niro EV AWD .... yet 🤔

Nice car but just shows you the crazy money currently being charged for EVs in this country. The smallest EV from KIA costing €48k. It would be interesting what price it would be pitched at if there was no generous €5k grant for cars costing up to €60k.

Its amazing how any EVs are being sold in the UK with the £30k but off point and much smaller grant.

I don’t know what customer deliveries there are this year but aug/sep is the launch with just demo models. I doubt anyone is driving out the door in Sep, but I could be wrong.