Kia to launch all-new Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle
All-new compact SUV platform
engineered uniquely for new Kia HUV
Stylish new design for Niro development project
Hybrid
powertrain developed for latest model
Engineers targeting sub-90 g/km CO2
and class-leading fuel efficiency
Production for overseas markets
scheduled to start in late 2016
Kia aims to improve average fuel
efficiency by 25% over 2014 by 2020
(SEOUL)
November 16, 2015 – Kia
has today announced its plans to introduce an all-new low emissions vehicle to
its growing model line-up. The Niro –
labelled a Hybrid Utility Vehicle (HUV) – represents a new concept from the
Korean car brand, and marks the development of Kia’s first dedicated eco-car
platform.
Niro will maintain
all the practicality and appeal of a compact SUV, while offering greater fuel
economy. Engineered from the ground up as a dedicated hybrid vehicle, its
attractive, modern styling will help the car stand out in a traditionally
conservative sector.
The Niro’s all-new platform has been engineered in
isolation from existing Kia models, and is designed to accommodate a specific
set of environmentally-conscious technologies and next-generation powertrains.
Hyoung-Keun Lee, Vice
Chairman & CEO, Kia Motors Corporation, commented, “Our new model is
designed to offer buyers everything they could want from a compact SUV in terms
of practicality and styling, while providing the typically low running costs
associated with a dedicated hybrid powertrain. By encouraging our engineers to
take a ‘blank canvas' approach, we have tried to develop a car that will appeal
to a broader range of consumers.”
Lee added, “The compact SUV market remains one of the
fastest-growing segments around the world, and by offering a handsome, modern
appearance, high practicality and extraordinary fuel economy, Kia’s new Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle will be the most
appealing and desirable car in its class.”
Bold
styling for all-new hybrid model
A new addition to Kia’s
design-led product
range, the Kia Niro will boast a brand new
design, with a sporty, aerodynamic body, subtly sculptured surfaces and styling
details finishing off the car’s modern new look. While the Niro is an all-new
model, with no direct predecessors, it is still immediately recognizable as a
Kia, carrying forward the company’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille and a series
of other design cues from the latest Kia products. The styling of the new Niro
development project has been led by
Kia’s design centers in California, USA and Namyang,
Korea.
Sporting a compact SUV shape,
the car’s designers highlight the most modern architectural designs and
contemporary sculptural art as key inspirations behind the new HUV’s body. The
vehicle boasts smooth, sleek proportions, while its
relatively wide stance portrays stability and a low center of gravity. The long wheelbase minimizes
the size of the front and rear overhangs, while ensuring occupants enjoy the
maximum possible interior space.
Class-leading
fuel economy and sub-90 g/km CO2 emissions
The main focus of engineering
teams’ efforts behind the development of the new model is to deliver
class-leading fuel economy in the compact SUV segment. The Kia Niro will combine a stylish SUV design with greater
fuel economy than its rivals, with a target CO2 emissions rating of
under 90 g/km (combined, based on the New European Driving Cycle).
Throughout the Niro’s development process, it has been
conceived as a dedicated hybrid model. The car will achieve its ultra-low
emissions levels and impressive fuel economy with a downsized hybrid powertrain,
pairing Kia’s 1.6-liter ‘Kappa’ gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine (105 ps power output and 147 Nm of torque) with a 1.56 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack and 32 kW electric motor. The powertrain’s
combined power output and torque will be applied to the road through a
highly-efficient six-speed double-clutch transmission.
The platform underpinning the
Niro has been engineered specifically to
accommodate this next-generation gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. A plug-in
hybrid powertrain is due to be added to the car’s line-up later in its
life-cycle.
Ultra-strong
steel for Niro’s unique new platform
Based upon a bespoke new
platform, the Kia Niro’s body
is made of more than 50% ultra-high strength steel, contributing to the
class-leading fuel economy and high safety ratings that development teams are
targeting. Part of a wider effort by Kia, the extended use of ultra-high
strength steel will help Kia reach its target of a 5% reduction in the average
weight of new car bodies by 2020 compared to 2014 levels.
With a strong, lightweight
body, the Niro will build on Kia’s
reputation for producing cars with a strong crash safety performance. The
company’s engineering teams are targeting the highest possible marks from
independent safety test organizations around the world, aided by a host of the
latest passive, active and pre-collision safety features Kia has to offer.
The high-strength platform
will not only result in a high safety rating, but also help minimize noise,
vibration and harshness (NVH), a key focus throughout the Niro’s conception. The strong body also enables Kia’s chassis and dynamics experts to give
the car a smooth, refined ride and engaging handling characteristics.
Production
for global markets scheduled to start in 2016
The new Kia Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle is due to be
unveiled next year, with production for overseas
markets scheduled to start in late 2016. The car will be built at Kia’s Hwasung manufacturing facility in Korea.
Kia
to improve average fuel efficiency by 25% by 2020
The development of an all-new
platform and bespoke powertrain for the Niro will
contribute to the brand’s ambition to becoming a leader in the low emissions
car market by 2020. In the next five years, Kia will expand its current green
car line-up from the four current
models to 11, and is targeting a 25% improvement to average corporate fuel
efficiency over 2014 levels.
This expanded range of
low-emissions vehicles will encompass a wide range of advanced powertrains,
from hybrids and plug-in hybrids to battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell
electric vehicles. The Niro will
be among the first of Kia’s new models to be designed, engineered and produced
as part of this plan.
As well as investment in
advanced propulsion technologies, by 2020 Kia will also replace seven out of
its 10 current engine ranges with next-generation gasoline and diesel units,
while increasing the number of turbocharged engines. Higher-efficiency,
multi-speed transmissions are also planned, while Kia engineers are targeting a
5% reduction in in the average weight of new car bodies through greater
application of ultra-high strength steel.
Editor’s note: All technical data contained in this
press release are expected targets, pending further development and
homologation. All figures are subject to change.
About Kia Motors Corporation
Kia
Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) – a maker of quality vehicles for the
young-at-heart – was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of
motor vehicles. Over 3 million Kia vehicles a year are produced in 10
manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries which are then sold and
serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180
countries. Kia today has around 49,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues
of nearly US$45 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an
official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World
Cup™. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise"
– represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing
exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.
For more information
about Kia Motors and our products, please visit our Global Media Center at www.kianewscenter.com.