Kia Niro Hybrid & PHEV Thread

Yup, I agree that no heat pump is not a huge issue, at least in that size traction battery. I changed my tune after getting the Leaf and seeing how much energy it takes to heat a vehicle. A battery the size of a PiP or this Niro would be gone extremely fast.

 

not with the heat pump, doesn't take any more electrons than a/c.

 

Pure ev definitely more important - but if it's a phev, why not capture waste heat for cabin temp comfort AND get your ICE warm up cycle all taken care of in one fell swoop.
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LG-H910 ?

 

You get that impression, but real-world data proves otherwise.

My winter commutes in Minnesota made great use of the heat-pump. For example...

 

you can in the prime as well, but why would you want the engine to start if you're within range of a plug?

 

I definitely see your guys' points about the heat pump, but it obviously adds a decent expense to the car, hence them not putting it on the initial PiP. They should probably have it as a stand alone option on a lot of these vehicles.

 

It does take some more, otherwise Toyota wouldn't have bothered paying for a gas injected model for the Prime.

To cool, it there is an excess of heat for the system to soak up and move. To heat, it is trying to concentrate heat in one space from where there is a lack of it.

 

could be, i'd have to see the data. way less than resistance heat though.

 

SOOO true - our junkie 2011 leaf heater can actually kill over 50% of its range on a freezing day/nite - if speeds are sub 40mph. Once the car dies .... you might just sit there & freeze. Thankyou Nissan.

So to combat that HUGE Nissan fail - we had to install an aftermarket device.
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True that, and I'd want a heat pump in a BEV or more EV tilted PHEV. The Hyundai/Kia system is far more blended PHEV than other PHEVs available on the market though. The reports sound like the ICE comes on more often than in the Energis. So if there is a good chance the ICE will come on before all the grid charge is used up, why pay more for a heat pump? The Ioniq PHEV under cuts the Prime by over $2000.

I don't think the Niro has gotten AWD yet either.

 

or DC QC, as some of the other Hyundai/Kia products have.
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But it isn't a BEV like those products. The Outlander is the first PHEV to offer such.

Like the heat pump, the added cost of quick DC charging doesn't align with the added value to a car that will likely have the ICE on at over 50mph.

 

I had a 2014 Leaf, the first year they started using heat pumps. I have to say it really worked great, lots of wonderful heat in winter, well what we call winter here in L.A., with a minimal hit on the already sparse mileage!
Geeze, I really HATED range anxiety!
I do however really love my Niro, KIA did a good thing!!

 

if i own a phev (and i do) i want to be able to use the ev range without the engine coming on. if i'm going further, fine, bring on the waste engine heat.
i'm not buying a phev that starts the engine for short trips just to improve mpg's. but maybe that's just me.

 

a DC QC port is extremely questionable on a 12 kWh system let alone an 8 like the Niro is

 

More so if battery cooling is by air.

 

interesting little side note, it seems all ioniqs will be getting LiPo 12v batteries in the traction battery pack, I wonder if that has anything to do with the number of failures we are seeing in cold climates, especially the Ioniq EV's in Canada, its not a massive number, but it is noticeable on the dark side

coming back to the PHEV and ICE running more, it all depends on the climate, here in the UK it is not that bad as we get few day below 0deg C , but places like Canada and northern US where you get the more extreme weather the hit is higher on mpg

the one thing that is missing from the Ioniq plugin is the ability to preheat the cabin if it is on charge with a time of departure set, this would really help reduce the ICE use, something for the mk2 Ioniq ?

 

well that certainly makes one wonder if the Kia Niro has the same Dynamics. One would think it would be inconceivable that the company, being pretty much the same company as Hyundai, would not have learned from that faux pas - as Nissan learned the stupidity of the Leaf's resistance heater, capable of running at nearly 5kW.
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the Ioniqs (HEV / PHEV) have a ceramic heater I believe which is supposed to be a bit better than a basic resistance heater but not as good as a heat pump

the Niro's are the same, but then we also start to see the differences in spec depending on country