Niro EV ships end of February in U.S.!

Domenick - You said on March 9th that you would have to contact Kia corporate to see if we could get an update on when the Niro EV might come to the USA. Have you had a chance to do that yet?

 

Kia's HQ is just around the corner from me in Tustin, CA. So I paid them an unannounced visit yesterday to get the answer from the horses mouth. They said "about a month" then said "subject to change". So no news there then. Still playing their childish tricks.

 

I would like to see InsideEVs do a story on Kia's continued and unacceptable silence on the Niro EV release. Kia's behavior here is emblematic of a broader problem in the EV space of OEM's announcing and actively promoting vehicles that, from the perspective of actual buyers, are mere vaporware. It makes the act of actually planning an EV purchase nearly impossible for families who buy new cars because (and when) they need them, not because they like to acquire cars.

When I first started planning for a Niro EV purchase in early 2018, the projected release date was Fall 2018. Fall 2018 eventually turned to Winter 2018, which became early 2019, which became end of February 2019 (the post that started this thread), before being variously described by forum contributors and the dealers and Kia representatives they’ve spoken to as “next few days”, “March 27th”, “soon”, and “definitely before the end of this year” (this one to me from the only dealer I encountered in Maryland who seemed aware that Niro EV exists).

My family and I have made do with a series of gap filling measures for months now. (One of those measures was to take over a short lease on a BMW i3 which, I freely admit, I love; but that does nothing to replace our aging Mazda.) Had I suspected last March that the Niro EV would still not exist more than a year later, I would have bought a different car much sooner and saved a year’s worth of headaches and needless vehicle emissions.

Meanwhile, a dealer in Georgia, which is not even a ZEV state, is telling callers alternately that (a) they had a Niro EV but just sold it or (b) well, we have one, and there’s a deposit on it, but we don’t know the price, can’t sell it, and can’t deliver it. (See the related thread on Niro EV availability.) These are answers I might expect if I was trying to order a Yeti or a Chupacabra—but not an actual car.

The problem here is not lack of buyer interest. There have been 3600 views on this thread about the Niro EV release date in just over two months. A second thread on Niro availability has 64 views and counting since it was posted less than 24 hours ago.

Media reports have acknowledged massive backorders for the e-Niro in Europe, and have highlighted that Kia may be facing the same constraints on battery supply that are also limiting production of the Hyundai Kona EV. Yet, Hyundai, is delivering at least limited quantities of the Kona (admittedly at a premium over MSRP)—Kia has yet to release even a price on the Niro EV, and months after its supposed availability date, the vehicle is still listed as “Upcoming” on the Kia website. (At least as of noon EST on April 4.)

Yet despite these facts, the automotive press continues publishing reviews of the Kia suggesting to potential buyers that the car is either already on the market (see, e.g, this one from Kelly Blue Book yesterday https://www.kbb.com/car-news/2019-kia-niro-ev-quick-take/2100006649/) or just days away. When CleanTechnica wrote this review (https://cleantechnica.com/2019/02/22/kia-e-niro-review-with-240-miles-of-range-i-repeat-there-is-no-more-excuse-to-not-own-an-electric-car/) in late February, it reported that “the official price of the Niro EV will be revealed next week.”

Here’s one excuse to not own an electric car:

No one will sell it to you.

Having spent years on the waiting list for a $35,000 Tesla Model 3, I know this vaporware problem is by no means limited to Kia. For the majority of buyers, however, new cars aren’t hobby purchases. Most families don’t buy a new car because there’s a gap in their collection, they buy a new car because they need to replace an existing one or move more people around.

Telling these families the perfect car is coming tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, is not going to help them make the switch to electric vehicles. It’s going to convince them that the perfect EV is always just over the horizon; but that’s where it will stay.

Months ago, reviewer Bjorn Nyland did a great and thorough side-by-side review that persuaded me the Niro EV is a better choice for my family than the Kona EV. But if the answer for the foreseeable future is that one of these cars exists and the other one doesn’t, the choice becomes much clearer.

So, once again, and really for the last time, I will ask: where is the Kia Niro EV? And when, if ever, might you be willing to sell me one?

 

CMDC, I completely agree with you. Kia is really missing the boat by not releasing now, especially now that Tesla has their lower priced Model 3 out. I am hoping that Kia will have one at the Washington DC auto show which starts tomorrow. At least that way we can actually see it. I guess at this point all we can hope for is that it is out sometime before the end of this month.

 

Nice post CMDC. I am in the same boat as you. Just like you I decided the Niro EVwas the vehicle for me, a bit bigger than the Kona and that was the most important factor. So I sold my family car in February in anticipation of the Niro EV arrival end of that month and the rest is history. It is getting laughable, I instant messaged with Kia this morning for an update and he (Chris) said the Niro EV is classified as a 'CONCEPT' car. I mean come on man, hasn't he even looked at his own website? There's a Niro EV listed as an upcoming vehicle and a hookup with Amazon showing a Niro EV plugged in to the wall in the background. I wasn't born yesterday, and in fact I most certainly know far more about the Niro EV than he does, it is their standard answer - I had someone else from Kia say the same thing, so they are simply quoting from their management's code book without any clue about what they just said. It wasn't even worth getting wound up about, it just seems par for the course for this brand. I really don't get the secrecy, why not just tell us the real story? I need to know whether to go and negotiate a Kona before they are all gone or wait. Its a catch 22 situation and so frustrating. This is a serious financial decision and there's a big wrench in the works called Kia management.

 

I was super excited after all the reviews of the Kona and Niro. Now, after the reality on the ground of short supply and dealer gouging I think I am OK with waiting 1 to 2 years for a model Y.

 

I think Kia is having major issues with battery supply, and likely, manufacturing as well. This will probably be true for the new Soul as well as the still-yet-to-almost-there-coming Niro. I think I"m going with the Niro PHEV. When the Kia EVs come out, whenever that is, seems they'll be high demand and not enough cars, meaning prices above MSRP; plus no track record as new cars. So I'll buy a 2019 Niro PHEV EX: with all the incentives, net cost is probably around $26K. I'll wait for an all electric vehicle for 3-4 more years when the infrastructure picture will hopefully be much better and there will be lots more EVs to choose from at lower cost.

 

A Niro EV EX Premium was on display at the DC auto show (though not available for test drives).

Some useful information I got from the reps was that the first batch of cars has arrived at US ports and are in the process of being distributed to dealers. They mentioned that the car should be on sale "very soon" and no later than the end of April/beginning of May. Pricing will be announced once the cars are ready for sale at dealerships.

The car on display was a fully loaded EX Premium with both the Cold Weather package (battery heater and heat pump) and the EX Premium Launch Edition package (Heated Steering Wheel, LED Headlights, Auto-Dimming Rear-View Mirror, Parking Distance Warning-Forward and Reverse, and Cargo Screen)

From sitting in the car, everything was consistent with the review cars. The fit and finish is top notch and it does feel a step above the Kona EV in terms of interior quality. The only strange quirk was that the button for ventilated seats was absent (only heated seat button was present), despite the spec sheet listing ventilated seats.

20190406_171545 by MSEBolt posted Apr 6, 2019 at 7:55 PM

20190406_154132 by MSEBolt posted Apr 6, 2019 at 7:55 PM

 

I was searching and actually found a dealer in MD that had posted some EVs on their website, with the window sticker.

I can't seem to post an image, but here was the link.
EX Premium:
https://www.kingautokia.com/api/inventory/GetStickers/?sv=SwBOAEQAQwBFADMATABHADIASwA1ADAAMAA4ADUAMwA1AA%3d%3d&make=Kia&dealerCode=MD032&loc=Srp

EX Premium with ventilated seat delete (Why?!)
https://www.kingautokia.com/api/inventory/GetStickers/?sv=SwBOAEQAQwBFADMATABHADYASwA1ADAAMAA4ADUAMwA3AA%3d%3d&make=Kia&dealerCode=MD032&loc=Srp

 

Kia is sending EX Premium models with different features. Only a few have ventilated seats and homelink. It is really stupid. King Kia has 3 but they are all sold. Probably 3-5 months till they get more. Also some of the stuff on the sticker was supposed to be included in the Premium price, like heated steering wheel. Now it is part of a package. It is really hard to find out what Kia is doing.

 

I see they are starting to showing up in the CarGurus listings. It looks like the cars are in transit as of today. At the price listed, you will really have to want one bad.

 

Glad to see we finally have USA MSRP. Starting prices: EX - $38500. EX Premium - $44,000. Plus $995 Destination. No thanks to KIA corporate who is still silent about the car's actual release.

 

I was at my dealer today. Premium starts at $44,000 but they are all coming through with battery heater, heat pump, heated steering wheel, parking sensors and one or two other things. That adds $2080 to the price. If you find one that has ventilated seats and homelink, add another $200.00. They also have carpets mats and mud guards, another $200.00 or so plus freight at $995.00. By the time you are done with a fully loaded premium it runs about $47325. Kia is charging for packages that have items we all thought were included in the EX Premium, i.e. heated steering wheel, parking sensors. The ones with ventilated seats and homelink are really hard to find. Kia only shipped 5 of those to the MD area. The rest have them as deleted for a $200.00 credit. Why they are dong that is beyond me unless they don't have the parts. They are pushing Tesla pricing now.

 

I wonder if California models have the winter package too? We don't really need it here. Of course even though there is information out there that vehicles are arriving at dealers on the east coast, several dealers in California that I communicated with are still ignorant of it. One said oh yes, California ones wont turn up until June????
The comedy of errors continues over here.

 

What dealer, please?

Sent from my 2PZC5 using Tapatalk

 

Here's a window sticker for an EX at King Kia in Gaithersburg, MD.

https://www.kingautokia.com/api/inventory/GetStickers/?sv=SwBOAEQAQwBDADMATABHADYASwA1ADAAMAA4ADUANAA0AA%3d%3d&make=Kia&dealerCode=MD032&loc=Vdp

According to this, the MSRP is $38,500, but that doesn't include freight and handling which is another $995, and if you want the Cold Weather Package (battery heater and heat pump), that's another $1,080. So the actual starting price of an EX is $39,495, and if you want/need the heat pump and/or battery heater, it's $40,575. Not to mention the extra grand that dealers will try to charge for some scotch tape on the bumper, welcome mats with the word "Niro" written on them, etc. Not to mention the likely "market adjustments" (mark ups over MSRP) at local dealers in the coming months.

Nasty prices considering that the Bolt came out 3 years ago for less, that the Kona is out now for less, and that the Model 3 - a luxury car with state of the art performance, tech, and battery quality, the demand for which is so intense and unprecedented that large sections of the American upper middle class have forgone their own lunch and their kids' back to school clothes money for the next 10 years just so they can drive one - costs roughly the same.

And still no pricing announcement from Kia. Yet there is "no excuse" not to own one....

 

If you go to Herson's Kia in Rockville MD, they have 6 Niro Ev's on the website. If you look at the one for $47, 325, that is the fully loaded. The ones for $7, 125 are missing home link and ventilated seats. The others are just EX models, not premium but all have options added. however, none are at the dealership yet.

 

Got a call from my So Cal dealer this afternoon to say he had a list of Niro EV's that are being delivered. I shot down there and put a deposit on an EX Premium in white. Got the VIN number. Delivery in about 10 days! Brilliant!
No heat pump for the battery no homelink but everything else. $46,180. I'm so stoked, have been waiting for this car for months. It's not even for me, it's my Wife's car! Could have had a Tesla for the price, but they are over rated, too bland inside and we wanted a hatchback anyway.
Anyone in California who wants one needs to contact their dealer now!

 

I saw these same issues when we were buying our 2015. They come out at odd times, at some mercurial release date. It was very frustrating! We got tired of waiting and bought one coming off-lease. There were NO SL's to be found in Atlanta - new or used (as the factory was changing over?).
Ed Voyles Kia in Atlanta had one a few weeks ago. It quickly got claimed - but they couldn't sell it until official pricing came through.
I just got an email saying they will get a few more at the end of April.