Automotive

Review: Driving the 2019 Kia Niro EV like a rural American

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The Kia Niro EV is a good illustration of where electric vehicles are right now and why they are useful, but only to a certain part of the population
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The Kia Niro EV is a good illustration of where electric vehicles are right now and why they are useful, but only to a certain part of the population
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The Niro EV is one of the new flock of "looks like a normal car" electrics, much to its credit
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Why more car makers aren't putting the charging port on the front of the car is a mystery
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
When plugged in, the Niro EV can charge from any of a number of charge station options at varying speeds
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The simplest of the energy flow graphics on the driver's information screen shows where the power is going (or coming from)
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Upon arrival in Lararmie, Wyoming, this was the energy chart and (at left) the amount of battery left, along with estimated range (left-center)
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The center console of the Niro EV has a shifter (top) and innovative drink holders that can be "opened" to create a large storage bin instead
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The interior of the Kia Niro EV is not as upscale as its price tag might suggest from the get-go, but it's comfortable and roomy for the car's compact size
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Getting into and out of the Kia Niro EV is ergonomic and easy, thanks to smart design elements like the tall door openings and low sills
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The rear seats in the Kia Niro EV are small, as with any compact, but seating for two is nicely done and three across, if kids, is not difficult
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The dashboard in the Kia Niro EV has a nice look and is lifted to give more legroom. Instruments are clear and easy to use, including the well-done infotainment
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Cargo space in the Kia Niro EV is good and commensurate with the space found in most competing, non-EV counterparts in the compact segments
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Plugging in the Niro EV is not rocket surgery, as the author demonstrates
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Under the hood, the Kia Niro EV has an engine cover similar to the gasoline version, helping direct airflow for cooling, and a similar layout of items otherwise
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
At the top of Sherman Pass between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming, at an elevation of just over 8,600 feet
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
The views at the top of Sherman Pass are beautiful, even in the middle of winter
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
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The idea of electrified cars is compelling. Having spent time in several plug-in vehicles over the past few years, it’s become clear that the automotive industry is getting on board with the change. Are we there yet? Rural Americans don’t think so, and they’re right. I proved that with a Kia Niro EV.

At a Glance

  • Size does matter
  • We see how weather affects an EV’s charge state
  • We put a worst-case test into motion
  • Range anxiety is a thing and it matters
  • Costs don’t match the savings

Most Americans live in cities and heavily populated counties. Urban and suburban life are the norm for a large number of us. The rest of us live in the sticks. I live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is a city by Wyoming standards, but barely a burg by the standards of those living in Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Miami. Having been to those places, I know that there are shopping malls with higher populations than Cheyenne, and airports with more people in them than the entire state of Wyoming has in total.

A lot of Americans live in places like I do, where long distance driving is the norm and "in the neighborhood" can mean within 50 miles (80.5 km). In most of the western states of the US, for example, distances of 50, 70, or 100 miles (80-161 km) between towns with populations under 5,000 are not uncommon. Driving habits of 300 or more miles (483+ km) per week are not unheard of, and are more common than many might believe.

This means that a lot of the electric vehicles on offer right now are probably not a good fit for many Americans. Those country miles are put on pickup trucks, large SUVs, midsized crossovers, and the like ... because driving that far often means needing to haul a lot of stuff or people as well.

The Kia Niro EV was introduced for the 2019 model year and is based on the Kia Niro, which itself was introduced in 2017. The car has about 239 miles (385 km) of range, per the US EPA. In the real world, of course, mileage may vary. I spent a week in the Niro EV when Wyoming was experiencing some typical winter weather, including sub-zero overnight temperatures and harsh winds and snow/ice mixtures. I learned a lot about electric vehicles in that week, including what to worry about and what was overhyped.

Plugging in the Niro EV is not rocket surgery, as the author demonstrates
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

To start with, I had a list of expectations for the Niro EV. I expected:

  1. The mileage estimate to be way off compared to the real world
  2. The low temperatures to result in a lot of power loss in the batteries
  3. The terrible weather would greatly degrade range
  4. The spectre of range anxiety would make me not trust the car
  5. The Niro would be overpriced and under-outfitted

Those expectations were tested against reality during that week with the Niro EV. I did several tests in order to learn whether I was right. I started with the low temp losses and then went with shorter mileage tests to try the EPA estimates.

Since temperatures overnight were dipping to near or below 0 ºF (-18 ºC), I decided to leave the car as it was when it arrived in my driveway. It had about a 95 percent charge. Instead of plugging it in, I left it as-is and let it sit. The next morning, the charge hadn’t changed and temperatures had risen to a balmy 25 ºF (-4 ºC) or so. I did a quick drive around the neighborhood (less than a mile) to see if anything changed. The car’s range estimation dropped by almost 7 miles (11 km) in that mile-ish drive. That says that the cold temperatures did affect the overall range, but six to seven miles of a 226-mile (364-km) range estimation isn’t much of a drop. I did a second test of this, when the charge was far lower (at around 80 mi/129 km available) and had a very similar result. So my hypothesis about range losses due to weather was largely wrong.

Next, I tested real-world "fuel economy" for the Niro EV. I did this the same way I normally do MPG testing, but without the fuel station stop. Starting at one point, I drove onto the freeway, made freeway speed, proceeded a little over 10 miles (16 km), turned around at an exit, and returned to the same point. According to the car, total mileage used was 28 (45 km). The actual loop is 22.1 miles (35.5 km). Given the winter weather with climate control on (heat running), that was pretty good. I would have done a plug-in and measured input as I would with fuel filling, but that would have added city miles and distorted the outcome. I did my city driving loop (roughly 19 mi/31 km) and used only 17.5 miles (28 km) of charge (according to the Niro’s computer). An even better result. Again, I was proven wrong in my initial assumptions. I would get some payback later, though.

The next test was a round trip to Laramie, Wyoming from Cheyenne. On the map, it’s roughly 100 miles (161 km) of driving, but in reality it’s closer to 120 (193 km) and it involves some extreme altitude changes. During the winter in Wyoming, it also means variable speed limits on the freeway, high crosswinds, and perhaps questionable roadways. Adding into this was more worst-case: I was toting the entire family on this trip. With two adults, three kids, and a lot of coats and winter boots inside the car, this was going to test both my range anxiety fears and the overall mileage mettle of the Kia Niro EV – not to mention its interior spaciousness. On the last count, it did well for a compact, so kudos to Kia for that.

At the top of Sherman Pass between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming, at an elevation of just over 8,600 feet
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

The drive took place during the day and we left in 30 ºF (-1 ºC) temperatures. Crosswinds ranged between 40 and 60 mph (64 and 92 km/h). Altitude change was a total of 2,400 feet (731.5 m) going up and a little more than that going back down into Laramie. We started having freshly unplugged the Niro EV with a full charge. The return trip saw the same route and conditions, though temperatures at the highest point were under 20 ºF (-7 ºF), and in Laramie were in the high 20s.

The trip itself was eventful, in its way, but no more eventful in the Kia Niro EV than it would have been in any gasoline-powered vehicle. Outside of my worries that the range was going to drop at any minute (it did, at the summit) and we would be stranded somewhere (didn’t happen), the reality was still pretty harrowing. When we arrived back at home, parking in the driveway, we had 80 miles (129 km) of range on the car. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

On the way back, downhill from the summit between Laramie and Cheyenne, the mileage estimate for the amount of range left had dipped down as far as 25 (40 km), which would have barely been enough to get back. Once home and plugged in to get a better idea of the real usage, I found that the real-world power left was closer to 70 miles (113 km) of range using the mileage numbers I’d gotten from my own testing earlier. My range anxiety fears were justified, I think, but some of that is due to the car’s computer and its way of estimating mileage. My best guess is that the computer was using averages that included the initial climb up to the summit and that average greatly increased power expectations.

I did, despite that sphincter-puckering moment, learn to trust the Niro EV’s general estimates for range and not to take any single reading as the reality. Going from the battery’s charge state (by percentage) works better for short looks, and long-term estimates are definitely more accurate on the Niro’s computer. Charging, however, is highly variable if not on a dedicated charger, so that is also worth noting. A wall plug will deliver varying amounts of power, according to load elsewhere on the circuit. Total charge times for the Niro EV when down to 25 percent or so ranged from 23 hours to over 40 when plugged into a 120V household socket.

When plugged in, the Niro EV can charge from any of a number of charge station options at varying speeds
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

Now to the last point. The Niro EV is priced pretty fairly for what’s now considered "affordable" in the electric vehicle market. It starts at about US$38,500 and can run to the mid $40,000s when fully loaded. Given the compact size and generally mid-level interior design and feel, though, that is very out of whack with the price point of a similar, non-EV vehicle. Pricing for the gasoline version of the Niro starts at $23,490 and tops at about $32,000; and no amount of creative accounting can find fuel savings making up for that huge price difference during the lifetime of the car – not when comparing accoutrements at apples-to-apples. Incentives may make a dent in that, but not everyone can count on incentives.

So my overall feelings about the Kia Niro EV are mixed. I was glad to learn that many of my expectations were wrong, and that a mainstream EV could beat those. I was disappointed to learn that some of my assumptions were correct, however, and that for rural Americans, even these new long-range EVs cannot be expected to be a primary vehicle.

Product Page: Kia Niro EV

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10 comments
nick101
Good real-life test. Living in a similar climate I wouldn't want one either. A B-type hybrid, with an efficient gasoline engine running a generator would be best I think, but of course they don't import those. :/
paul314
Are there any charging stations in Laramie?

Ironically, the increasing mileage numbers of internal-combustion vehicles have made it harder for EVs to compete. A late 90s SUV might have gotten 10-20 mpg (our jeep got about 18), but a one from the most recent decade is more like 20-30plus.
minivini
Your actual mileage vs metered predictive mileage is pretty encouraging to me. I drive an early model LEAF (2012), and the predicted range is always WAY off until it drops to about 20 miles. If I have to add heat to the cabin, my range drops around 30%. Even after a replaced, updated battery in 2018, I never get more than 65-70 miles of my predicted 100-105 (and that’s out of the supposed 115 mile range). Granted, I live in moderately hilly terrain, but my experience has taught me to use best practices while driving the LEAF that should serve well once it gets replaced with a next generation EV.

Good read. I’m glad you found the Niro adequate in the vast geography out west. I just wish the cost disparity would lessen between EV and gas autos. I often wonder how much of that is the result of production cost and how much is the manufacturer trying to recoup up front for the loss of routine maintenance that is lacking on an EV. I know that has to be a factor in the price structure. I wonder how much...
Douglas Campbell
I have a 2019 HEV Niro and learned recently with less items running in the car I get a huge difference in gas mileage. Same goes on the ev. When tested nothing in the running car but just the driver driving it you will achieve the range approx posted. Driving with no radio on, heater/ac off, etc you will notice a difference for sure. A gas car is powered with the battery and alternator as we all know and your electric car is your giant alternator for everything.
Joneseyboy
nick101,,,I have a 2019 Niro PHEV. It has a gas motor and an electric motor with a small battery pack that can be plugged in. Battery range is 41 km when full. But with judicious use of regen braking I achieve better than that. Usually 20% better.
All in all excellent city car, but can cruise comfortably at 120kph, too.
martinwinlow
A useful insight but not terribly scientific!

You say 'freeway speed' - but what does that mean? Lots of people drive at very different speeds on the freeway and there is a big difference in energy consumption between, say, 60mph and 80mph (about 50% more in the latter case, in fact - see http://evconvert.com/tools/evcalc).

No mention (at *all*) of regen. This can make a huge difference in range, particularly in hilly terrain and stop/go traffic where, in an ICEV, all the energy used climbing hills and accelerating up to speed is lost for good. In an EV, in both scenarios, regen allows a large proportion of that energy to be reused by electronically changing the motor into a generator and converting the potential and kinetic (respectively) energy back into electrical energy that is stored in the battery.

Little to no reference to use of cabin heating in your travels. This can (depending on the type of heating system used) again make a very large difference to achievable range. Also, as a seasoned EV driver, it really *does* matter to me that I'm actually having to pay to heat my car cabin, even if it's only about 20c/half hour or so. In an ICEV this is irrelevant as you lose the waste heat from the engine whether it is directed into the cabin or not. Use of seat and steering wheel heaters is *hugely* more energy efficient - but no-where near as efficient as putting on a good coat, gloves and hat!

A radio is going to make precisely zero difference to range. It uses mere single-figure watts compared to the tens of kilowatts (1kW = 1000W) that the motor uses.

Hybrids are almost a complete waste of time. At best, a hybrid will improve economy by 10% or so - which is still 10% better than an ICEV but will make next to zero difference in ecological and air quality terms. Plug-in hybrids can work - BUT - only if they are plugged in! Unfortunately, humans being humans, they very rarely *are* plugged in. So you are still paying for the fuel they use (instead of, for example, making it cleanly and for free on the roof of your house) and still paying (through the nose) for all the servicing etc they require. They are just a green-wash comfort blanket for wannabe EV drivers (oh, and, of course, maintain the Big Oil status quo, thank you very much)!

Ultimately, if you have a reasonable charging infrastructure, then modern EVs will work for the vast majority of car owners - IF you are prepared to adjust your lifestyle *very* slightly to accommodate their minor quirks. If you do little to no long distance driving (town and city-dwellers), then they will work for just about everyone. For the very rare occasion you need to do a long trip, just hire an ICEV (if completely necessary).

If you want to carry on driving ICEVs then do so - it's a free country. BUT 1/ your grandchildren will *really* not thank you for it and b/ please do not delude yourself into thinking you are doing anything munificent/planet-saving by driving a hybrid!
foxpup
In this day and age, we still need a gas option in the rural settings. The charging infrastructure just isn't adequate when you get away from the interstate highways. Worse yet, the auto manufacturers are going backwards at serving the rural areas by stopping production of the Chevy Volt and general discouragement of the BMW i3-REX. Once they are used up and gone, we've got nothing unless we've got such deep pockets that we can afford 200kwh batty packs and that doesn't describe me at all. I don't want to have to drive around with a 12000 watt generator in my trunk and gas cans.
DavidB
Douglas Campbell: One point of contention—turning off the radio in a BEV will not help with range, nor will turning it on hurt the range.

In a BEV the radio and other devices that are powered by the 12V battery in an ICE vehicle are also powered by the BEV’s 12V battery. Using them won’t affect the propulsion battery in any way.

You’re right about the cabin heater and AC, though. They are powered by the propulsion battery, which is why many (most?) modern BEVs include heated seats and steering wheel, and you are advised to use those, rather than the full cabin heater, when range is a concern.

My Kona “ultimate” EV’s seats are are also ventilated, so I’ll be able to keep cool without running the AC, if I need to once the weather warms up. The Kona and Niro are technologically the same vehicle, so I imagine some Niro trim levels include ventilated seats as well. Feel free to use the seat heaters or ventilators, the infotainment center, the headlights, the interior lights, the steering wheel warmer, the turn indicators, and pretty much every other 12V electrical feature without concern that you’re reducing your EV’s range.
JeffK
Wearing a coat and using steering wheel/seat heaters aren't going to keep your windshield, side and rear windows free of fog and frost. I think there is a great future for EV's across all usage requirements, but it's not hear yet. It does seem that they actually are practical for a majority of the congested urban centers that generate, and suffer the most, from air polution.
Michael Stuart
Amazing Collections!!!