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The Kia e-Niro earned the title of "Best electric small SUV"

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Kia has picked up two category wins at the annual "What Car? Electric Car Awards", with an award each for the Kia EV6 and the e-Niro.

The Kia EV6 electric car has won the "Readers' choice" award, a category in which the EV6 was voted the most exciting and highly anticipated upcoming EV by readers of What Car?. In addition, the Kia e-Niro earned the title of "Best electric small SUV" for the second year running.

The What Car? Electric Car Awards were launched in 2020 to celebrate fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids capable of at least 20 miles of zero-emissions motoring between charges. The awards demonstrate the changing landscape of the UK car market and recognize the best EVs on sale today.

The Kia EV6 electric car was unveiled in March this year, boasting a range of up to 528 kilometers (WLTP combined; around 328 miles). It is also the first car to exhibit Kia's new design philosophy, 'Opposites United'. The upcoming EV6 has been designed with driver and passenger comfort and convenience at its core, with innovative 'relaxation' seats and the ability to recharge its batteries from 10-to-80 percent in just 18 minutes. An exhilarating 'GT' model is also due to be added to the line-up in 2022, capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 161mph.

The Kia EV6 electric caught the eye of the public with the What Car? Judges said: "This strikingly styled new model has captured the imagination of What Car?. It beat seven other contenders to win our online poll looking for the upcoming electric car that people are most excited about." The judges also praised the flagship EV for its abundance of standard equipment, incredible charging capability, and customizable, personal interior.

Kia's established front-running EV, the Kia e-Niro electric car, has been no stranger to award wins since its launch in 2016. As well as picking up the same award for the second year running, the e-Niro remains the only fully electric car ever to win the coveted What Car?

With an official range of 282 miles, while still qualifying for the UK Government's 2,900 euros electric Plug-in Car Grant, the recently introduced e-Niro '2 Long Range' with a 64kWh battery is the model of choice for the What Car? The Kia e-Niro electric car was praised for its incredible practicality, range, a performance that rivals some hot hatchbacks, and its convenient and driver-friendly cabin – all for under 40,000 euros. The judges commented: "Since its launch, no other EV has moved the goalposts in the way the e-Niro did. It may be one of the older models in its category, but it's still one of the best."

Kia e-Niro electric car 2020

Commenting on the double award win, Paul Philpott, President CEO at Kia UK Limited, said: "To once again continue our award-winning form with the Kia e-Niro and to win an award for the EV6 before its UK launch, is a great honor. Although the Kia EV6 is currently part way through a national dealer roadshow in the UK, allowing customers to see our next generation EV for themselves, it's encouraging to see it making a positive impression with What Car?. We are thrilled to be launching the EV6 in the UK later this year and have no doubt it can follow in the footsteps of our continuously impressive EVs that are already available."

Both the EV6 and e-Niro come with Kia's seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty as standard. The first customer deliveries of the EV6 will commence in October this year.

Iain Wilson, Fleet Manager at Halewood Artisanal Spirits, said: "Our previous fleet was made up of diesel and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and we'd monitored the EV market for quite some time before taking the plunge. The Kia e-Niro addressed all our concerns about EVs convincingly, thanks to its excellent practicality, range, and charging speeds. We know that our fleet can cope with the car's range, especially once we have chargers at all of our UK facilities, which will make a big difference to the ease of adoption. We're also looking forward to adding to the e-Niro fleet soon, having placed an order for a few Kia EV6.

"There are many reasons why fleets should at least look to go electric. There are significant savings to be had including the cost of electricity versus fuel, lower SMR costs, and of course significant tax savings for our company car drivers too."

John Hargreaves, General Manager for Fleet and Remarketing at Kia UK Limited added: "This is an excellent example of how seamlessly electric cars can fit into a fleet operation that knows its staff, their journey types and takes concerns out of the equation with charge points at all of its facilities."

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