Kia Niro EV Charging Cable

Three Niros, one cable

The Niro EV from 2022, the e-Niro before it and the Niro Plug-in Hybrid all charge through the same Type 2 inlet, so one cable covers a used forecourt full of them. What changes is the onboard charger: 11 kW on the current car, 7.2 kW on the 2019 to 2022 e-Niro.

Either way the 32A single phase cable is the buy, because 7.4 kW is the most a British house can supply and both cars can take essentially all of it.

How long a full charge takes

Those times come from dividing the pack by the delivered power and adding 13 per cent for losses, then rounding to the quarter hour. The columns are the 11.1 kWh plug-in hybrid at up to 40 miles of electric range, the 64 kWh e-Niro at 282 miles WLTP and the 64.8 kWh Niro EV at 285. Miles per hour is worked at a conservative 3.5 miles per kWh.

Which length to buy

The inlet sits in the centre of the nose, behind a flap in the grille, which is the layout Kia used across the Niro family. It makes nose-in parking easy and means the cable never has to run around the car when the charge point is in front of it.

Five metres is enough for a driveway where you park facing the wall box. Reverse in, and the lead has to come the whole length of the car, so buy 10 metres. Kerbside parking and shared bays are the 15 metre cases.

How these cables are built

Made to IEC 62196-2, CE marked, and rated IP55 from -30C to +50C so it lives outdoors all year.

On the three pin side the standard is IEC 62752, with CE marking, IP67 sealing and a -30C to +60C range. Warranty is two years from the manufacturer, delivery free next working day, returns accepted for 30 days.

Also from Kia: Kia EV3 EV Charging Cable. The full range of Kia charging cables is on one page. For a wall box or public post the lead is the Type 2 to Type 2 charging cable.

Kia Niro charging cable questions

Does the same cable fit a Niro EV and an older e-Niro?

Yes. Both use the Type 2 inlet, as does the Niro Plug-in Hybrid, so a Type 2 to Type 2 cable fits all three. The 2022 car accepts 11 kW on AC and the 2019 to 2022 e-Niro 7.2 kW, and a 32A cable suits both.

How long does a Kia Niro EV take to charge?

About ten hours from empty on a 7.4 kW home charger for the 64.8 kWh battery. The plug-in hybrid, at 11.1 kWh, is done in under two, which is why PHEV owners often charge on a timer during the cheap rate window.

Where does the Niro plug in?

The middle of the nose, behind a flap in the grille. It is one of the easier port positions to live with and it suits a charge point mounted in front of the parking space.

Is a 16A cable enough for a Niro?

It works, but it halves the charge rate. A 64 kWh Niro EV on 16A takes about twenty hours from empty against ten on a 32A lead. Only choose 16A if your charge point is a 3.6 kW unit.