Enlarge / This is the second-generation Kia Niro EV, and it is a rather great little electric vehicle. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

Last month, we reviewed a great little hybrid, the 2023 Kia Niro. In fact, Kia offers this little hatchback with three different efficient powertrains, and today we’re looking at the entirely electric version, the 2023 Kia Niro EV. Ditching the internal combustion engine and replacing it with a slab of lithium-ion cells pushes the price up somewhat—starting at $39,550, the Niro EV is almost $11,000 more expensive than the parallel hybrid version—but on the upside, you get a right-sized electric car that’s extremely efficient, particularly on short journeys.

This Kia Niro EV is in fact the second Niro EV we’ve tested—the first impressed us mightily when we reviewed it back in 2020. The technical specifications of the battery electric powertrain are actually very similar to those in the previous version. There’s a 64.8 kWh lithium-ion traction battery between the axles, which powers a 201 hp (150 kW) electric motor that drives the front wheels.

The contrasting panel on the C pillar conceals an aeroblade, which is a channel that directs airflow to the rear of the car to reduce drag. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

The all-electric powertrain adds a fair bit of mass to the Niro; its curb weight of 3,721–3,803 lbs (1,688–1,725 kg) makes it almost 20 percent heavier than the parallel hybrid version. But in addition to having more power, the Niro EV makes a lot more torque—188 lb-ft (255 Nm), in fact—so it feels much peppier to drive.