What's the news?
Kia's foray into the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market in Ireland begins as pricing for the e-Soul and e-Niro models are announced. While the arrival just in time for the 192 registration period should be good news, Kia Ireland has confirmed that its stock for the remainder of 2019 is already spoken for. So anyone that is yet to place an order will now have to wait until 2020 to get their hands on one.
Ireland, like many other countries, is struggling to get enough stock of the latest higher-capacity EVs as manufacturers struggle to meet demands. "We're effectively sold out for July. If you look across Europe, every manufacturer seems to be announcing that they're after doing some kind of joint venture with a battery company. Every country will take them [stock], if you look at places like Norway, they have more orders than supply," said James Brooks, Managing Director, Kia Ireland.
The Kia e-Niro will be available to order with the choice of two battery options. A mid-range 39.2kWh version comes with a 136hp motor and can provide a driving range of up to 289 kilometres under WLTP test conditions. For those that don't typically make very long journeys in their car, this smaller battery version could be an appealing option. Pricing for the mid-range Kia e-Niro starts at €33,495. Spending an additional €4,000 gains the long-range e-Niro. Featuring a higher capacity 64kWh battery, the driving range increases to a claimed 455 kilometres under WLTP testing.
However, if you're not yet fully convinced about, or ready to switch to, an electric vehicle, the Kia Niro PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) is also available and comes with a lower price of €31,495, which includes up to €7,500 of VRT reduction and SEAI grants.
Anything else?
The second prong of Kia's EV offering comes in the form of the e-Soul. This all-new generation is now only being offered as an electric vehicle, though combustion-engined versions are sold elsewhere in the world. Unlike the e-Niro, the Kia e-Soul comes only with the larger capacity 64kWh battery and offers an almost identical 452 kilometres of driving range according to the WLTP test. There are two specification grades to choose from with the e-Soul, starting with the K2 at €35,995. The higher specification K3 version carries a €2,000 premium at €37,995.