The smallest dedicated all-electric vehicle to date from Kia, dubbed EV3 and based on the E-GMP architecture, has been officially revealed with EV9-inspired looks and technology.
If you look at the Kia roster, the South Korean automaker has one of the most comprehensive electrified lineups among legacy automakers – in America, it sells the Niro Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid, Sportage Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid, Sorento Hybrid, and Plug-In Hybrid, plus the zero-emissions Niro EV, EV6, and EV9. Elsewhere around the world, it also has models like the Soul EV or EV5! No worries, they are expanding the offer, not contracting it based on the perceived EV sales slowdown – so the company has officially presented the promised EV3 compact crossover SUV with the first official photos and details.
The dedicated compact EV crossover SUV is built on the well-known E-GMP architecture, and while the EV6 was recently refreshed with a bold new attitude, the little EV3 clearly has set its sights on the EV9 as an EV role model. According to Kia, by "significantly exceeding customers' expectations, the EV3 will broaden the appeal and elevate the perception of EV SUVs." The exterior design includes the latest reinterpretation of Kia's Tiger Face design with a new Star Map signature lighting concept for the vertically-stacked DRLs.
The profile is of a classic crossover SUV, and the EV3 measures just 4,300 mm long, 1,850 mm wide, 1,560 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,680 mm. That's 169.29, 72.83, 61.41, and 105.51 inches, by the way. The powertrain is based on a front-wheel drive setup with fourth-gen battery technology. The E-GMP-based EV3 deploys a 150 kW (201 hp) electric motor with 283 Nm (209 lb-ft), allowing for a sprint to 100 kph (62 mph) in 7.5 seconds and a maximum speed of 170 kph (106 mph) while the battery pack has two ratings - 58.3 kWh for the EV3 Standard and 81.4 kWh for EV3 Long Range.
The exterior is available in nine colors, including the newly added Aventurine Green and Terracotta; as always, there's a GT-line model for a "more rugged and adventurous appearance," and the interior design is inspired by nature. The cockpit also has a wide selection of trim options inspired by Air, Earth, and Water elements, recycled fabrics, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 5-inch climate control panel, and another 12.3-inch infotainment display.
While rather bulky in appearance, the Kia EV3 has an "impressively low drag coefficient" of 0.263Cd, and the Battery Management Unit (BMU) and Cell Monitoring Unit (CMU) technologies try to make the best use of the battery packs, enabling the EV3 Long Range to boast an estimated range of up to 600 km (373 miles) across the WLTP cycle. More so, the company boasts that a 10 to 80% SoC recharging session can take as little as 31 minutes.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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