RAY MASSEY: Kia’s new Niro EV is power blackout buster

Should the energy crisis lead to home power outages this winter, owners of Kia’s new and award-winning Niro EV may be well placed to cope.

While they can’t charge their car, they can make use of the juice left in the vehicle’s battery so they can use it to power their freezer to prevent contents from spoiling, use microwave food or standard light bulbs to from a blackout.

The car is equipped with a so-called ‘vehicle to device’ function. Plug one end into the slot in the grille where you would normally charge your car, and on the other end is a conventional household outlet – the EV power pack is bi-directional, so becomes your own mobile power station.

Most of the time, though, the Korean car with a seven-year warranty is there to drive and that’s exactly what I’ve done.

Not quite a hot hatch, it’s still surprisingly snappy with quite a bit of pace and more fun than you’d expect from a comfortable and flexible family car.

The all-electric Niro EV range starts from £36,757 for the entry-level Niro 2.

I drove the well-stocked mid-range Niro EV 3, priced from £39,495, although an optional £900 heat pump (to pre-heat the car on cold days) pushed the final price to £40,395. Powered by an electric motor with a single-speed automatic transmission and a 64.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, and riding on 17-inch alloy wheels, the Niro EV accelerates from rest to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds to a top speed of 103 km/h .

However, most of the time the Korean car with seven years warranty is there to drive

If you’re not ready to switch, there’s a petrol hybrid from £28,245 and a plug-in from £34,025

The all-electric Niro EV range starts from £36,757 for the entry-level Niro 2

Owners can use the juice left in the vehicle’s battery so they can use it to power their freezer to prevent contents from spoiling

Average full charge range is a decent 285 miles (375 miles around cities)

Not quite a hot hatch, it’s still surprisingly snappy with quite a bit of pace and more fun than you’d expect from a comfortable and flexible family car

It comes with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation system, fabric and leatherette upholstery, rear privacy glass, blind spot collision avoidance and multi-angle adjustable rear seats

Charging times range from nine hours 25 minutes on a 7.2 kW AC wall charger to approximately 45 minutes on DC fast chargers

The car is equipped with a so-called ‘vehicle to device’ function, which makes it your own mobile power station

The average full charge range is a decent 285 miles (375 miles around cities).

Charging times range from nine hours 25 minutes on a 7.2 kW AC wall charger to approximately 45 minutes on DC fast chargers.

It comes with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation system, fabric and leatherette upholstery, rear privacy glass, blind spot avoidance, and multi-angle adjustable rear seats.

If you’re not ready to switch, there’s a petrol hybrid from £28,245 and a plug-in from £34,025.

Tesla launches groundbreaking supercharger

Tesla has launched its milestone 1,000th supercharger in the British Isles.

It is located on the newly opened London Sidcup Supercharger site in Ruxley Manor with 15 charging points plus a restaurant, cafe, supermarket, garden centre, hand wash and toilets.

Tesla supercharger stations can now be found in over 100 locations in the UK and it has opened 177 new ‘stalls’ and 17 new locations in the UK and Ireland this year, including Dublin and stretching from Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands to the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.

Expanding network: Tesla supercharger posts can now be found in over 100 locations across the UK

Last November, Tesla launched a supercharger pilot project to allow non-Tesla cars to use the network

Last November, Tesla launched a supercharger pilot project to allow non-Tesla cars to use the network.

That has been expanded to 15 stations and 158 individual superchargers.

Tesla said: “Our ambition has always been to open the network to encourage more drivers to go electric.”

Drivers skimp on vehicle maintenance

Eight in ten (79 percent) drivers aged 18 to 34 skimp on key vehicle maintenance checks as the cost of living increases. Nearly a third (28 percent) have postponed the annual service or the oil change (30 percent).

Major tire checks have also been suspended, with 30 percent of younger drivers admitting they delay fixing a flat tire and 28 percent delaying changing low profile tyres.

Credit crunch: Eight in 10 drivers aged 18 to 34 skimp on key vehicle maintenance checks as the cost of living rises

Major tire checks have also been suspended, with 30 percent of younger drivers admitting they delay fixing a flat tire and 28 percent delaying changing low profile tyres.

Overall, some 15 percent of all motorists said their annual car service is on the back burner because of the rising cost of living, with 11 percent not paying for necessary tire changes.

Neil Greig, head of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: ‘Young people are probably the hardest hit by rising costs.

“Maintenance doesn’t just look good in a log, it’s there for a reason and can pick up all kinds of security issues.”