[Techy]

Another quick note to this thread- one of the post could confuse individuals that the NIRO EV or PHEV use an OEM AGM battery. Unless KIA changed this year NIRO EV and PHEV are using Closed Maintenance Free Lead Acid batteries.

Replacement AGM batteries will work if an induvial wants to go that way

I was reading through the owners manual for the 2023 Niro and it mentions "maintenance free, calcium-based". Certainly sounds similar to lead acid to me and certainly not AGM

 

[Johnxyz]

Calcium based is a form of lead acid battery.

Difference Between Lead Acid and Calcium Batteries | Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

"Lead calcium batteries are a derivative of lead acid batteries."

 

[Dovidan]

I've been spending some time on the Ford Escape site and noticed that Ford HEVs have a very similar problem with their OEM 12v batteries dying in 2-3 years. I wonder if it just cheap OEM batteries or an unintended "design feature" of HEVs & PHEVs???

 

[Techy]

I've been spending some time on the Ford Escape site and noticed that Ford HEVs have a very similar problem with their OEM 12v batteries dying in 2-3 years. I wonder if it just cheap OEM batteries or an unintended "design feature" of HEVs & PHEVs???

I would go with the unintended "design feature" of PHEV/EV
The Niro HEV's are fine because they have a lithium 12V battery and the PHEV/EV would be fine as well if they had a 12V lithium but that is not currently gonna happen - cost!!