- Kia’s new affordable electric vehicle is here.
- Kia’s new EV2 was unveiled today, with a starting price expected to be around $35,000 (€30,000).
- Based on the E-GMP platform, the EV2 will be available with two battery options.
The war for affordable electric cars is heating up in Europe, where Come here Just revealed the new EV2. The Kia EV2, a B-segment electric crossover, is expected to start at around $35,000 (€30,000) when it goes on sale next month, making it the Korean automaker’s cheapest new electric vehicle yet.
For reference, the boxy, battery-powered crossover will compete with the likes of the Renault 4, Ford Puma Gen-E And the next Volkswagen ID. Polo Cross, all of which are or will be similar prices. So the next few months will be interesting, but whatever the outcome, it’s great news for European car buyers who have been waiting for more affordable options in electric vehicles.
Photo by: Kia
Based on the 400V version of the same E-GMP platform that supports cars such as EV3 and EV4The new Kia EV2 will only be available with one front-mounted electric motor and two battery options. The Standard Range model is powered by a 42.2 kWh pack that enables an estimated WLTP range of 197 miles (317 km), while the Long Range version gets a 61 kWh battery and a range of up to 278 miles (448 km).
Both models come with 11 kW and 22 kW AC charging capabilities, which is quite rare in this segment, but shows that Kia knows its audience. In Europe, many EV owners have home chargers that can deliver 22 kilowatts, so they have equipped the EV2 with the necessary hardware from the start. The small battery needs 2 hours and 35 minutes to fully charge at 22 kW, while the large battery increases the time to 3 hours.
Photo by: Kia
DC fast charging is also included, but Kia doesn’t mention the maximum power input. However, it said that the standard version needs 29 minutes to go from 10% to 80%, while the long-term model takes about 30 minutes. Not bad, considering this is a city car and not a long-distance cruiser.
Thanks to Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, the EV2 can power appliances, thanks to the vehicle-to-load feature, and it can also send power from its battery back to the grid, thanks to the vehicle-to-grid function.
The Kia EV2’s wheelbase is 100.9 inches (2,565 mm), which is almost identical to the Kia EV2’s. Hyundai Inster EV. However, it should be noted that the two cars are not related, as the Inster is based on a platform that was originally designed for combustion engines and later adapted for an electric powertrain. The EV2 is longer and wider than the Inster, measuring 159.9 inches (4,060 mm) long and 70.8 inches (1,800 mm) wide.
Photo by: Kia
Inside, Kia’s affordable electric crossover can be had in a traditional five-seat layout or a four-seat configuration with independent sliding and reclining rear seats. Hyundai Motor Group’s latest ccNC Lite infotainment system runs on a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, which is joined by a separate 5.3-inch climate control display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Kia said the Lite version of the range’s infotainment system mirrors the same display layout and core features as the ccNC system, including over-the-air software updates, but is cheaper to manufacture. However, no OTA map updates are available for the navigation system.
A 0.5-cubic-foot (15 L) front trunk is standard, and the four-seat version offers 14.2 cubic feet (403 L) of cargo space in the trunk. The five-seat trunk is slightly smaller, at 12.7 cubic feet (362 litres).
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Source: Kia
As for the outside, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as always. Kia has made good use of the “Opposites United” design philosophy, which means vertical daytime running lights and a boxy overall shape. For such a small car, the automaker offers wheel options up to 19 inches, but cheaper versions come in 16 inches.
There’s also a comprehensive list of standard safety systems, including Highway Driving Assist 2, Intelligent Cruise Control 2, Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist 2. The EV2 also comes with a Digital Key function that works with NFC, Bluetooth and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technologies.
The Kia EV2 will be manufactured at the automaker’s Zilina plant in Slovakia, alongside the EV4. The standard model will start rolling off the assembly line in February, followed by the long-range and GT-line models in June.
