Kia EV Day: Kia's electric future
Whether in Asia, Europe or North America, the entire automotive industry is seeing a slowdown in sales of electrified vehicles. It's a serious trend, and one that's prompting some manufacturers to put the brakes on, or at least slow down their activities in this area. At Kia, however, we see this situation as an opportunity. A chance to outstrip the competition, which is already struggling to keep up with the Koreans in these segments, where Hyundai and Kia are already performing very well.
Kia, which is continuing to build on its success with a number of new combustion engine models, has also decided to expand its electric vehicle range. On the one hand, there are more accessible models, and on the other, utility vehicles designed for both family and commercial use.
Held in the Spanish city of Tarragona, in a former stadium famous for its toreador shows, Kia EV Day kicked off with the unveiling of the EV2 concept. It's a pocket-sized, ultra-friendly SUV packed with wild ideas from the pencil strokes of Karim Habib. Montreal-born Karim Habib, Kia's chief designer, is responsible for the boldness and eccentricity of the brand's latest models.
Barely three metres long, and therefore even more compact than the current Kia Soul, the EV2 will go into production next year, but will not cross the Atlantic. It's an urban vehicle aimed primarily at the various European markets, and will stand out not only for its style, but also for its modular interior that can even be extended outwards. The front bench (as there are no individual seats) will even slide towards the second row to provide maximum living space in front of the dashboard. The rear bench, meanwhile, will fold vertically or completely flat.
EV4: a nod to the Tesla Model 3?
With an 81.4 kWh battery and an estimated range of 490 km (Kia claims 630 km according to the WLTP standard), the new EV4 is likely to be a big hit here. Particularly as the entry price is expected to be well under $50,000, which will put the Tesla Model 3, which has made a name for itself in the world of electrified sedans, to shame.
Obviously, Kia will be offering less efficient entry-level models, but the manufacturer's objective is to offer an electric alternative to almost the entire range of equivalent petrol models. That's why Kia Canada is working so hard to bring us the EV5, which will be here next spring, even though it's shunning the American market. The vehicle is currently assembled in China, but like the EV3 and EV4, it will be produced in South Korea. A solution that will make it easier to market them in Canada.
The EV4 is very similar to the K4 sedan in terms of dimensions. The same goes for the hatchback model (unconfirmed for Canada), while the K4 hatchback looks set to be confirmed for the 2026 model year. That said, the K4 boasts extremely successful styling and an avant-garde cabin, which is likely to appeal to a growing customer base. Like the EV3, which will also hit Canadian soil in 2026, the EV4 is based on the E-GMP platform, albeit using a 400-volt architecture rather than the 800-volt used in the EV6 and EV9. According to Kia, this won't slow down its charging speed, which will be close to a maximum of 230 kW, allowing it to be refuelled from 10 to 80% in 31 minutes.
Naturally, the price will be at the heart of the decision by buyers, who will undoubtedly see it as good value, but who will also compare it with the K4, which is currently enjoying great success. As for the hatchback model, it would allow Kia to distinguish itself with an offering that is without equal on the Canadian market, since the future Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf will play the compact crossover card, as in the case of the EV3.
The return of a real minivan?
The commercial van market is a major one in Europe, with a huge range of models on offer. Until now, Hyundai and Kia have been absent from this market, dominated by the likes of Ford, Volkswagen and Fiat. But the tide could be turning with the arrival of a multitude of vans of different sizes, as confirmed by Kia. The manufacturer has confirmed the arrival of larger models called the PV7 and PV9, although the emphasis is on the new PV5. This is a very attractive van in terms of design, albeit very angular, and it could rival the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.
Understand that in Europe, the ID.Buzz is not sold as a luxury product, but rather as a utility model, and mainly in cargo version. This explains why Kia is so keen to embark on this venture, although it does claim that its new E-GMP.S (S for service) platform will allow greater versatility for commercial models. As a result, Kia could offer chassis-cab versions, vans with raised roofs or modular interiors, with no constraints.
The Korean manufacturer has unveiled no fewer than four variants of the PV5 van, including a cargo model, a Crew model (with a sliding interior wall and two rows of seats), and a WAV model (adapted for wheelchairs), with a ramp that can be automatically adjusted and deployed to suit the environment. Then there's the passenger version, with space for up to seven occupants and an environment very similar to that of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.
The good news is that a passenger version and a cargo model have been confirmed for Canada. However, no details have been given about the mechanical or equipment options, although Kia has said that the largest battery will currently have a capacity of 71.4 kWh. This is not a convincing size for our market, since the estimated range is only around 300 km. At least, that's the conclusion we've come to based on the projected range according to the WLTP standard, which gives a figure of 400 km.
As for the cargo version, it can be sold in Canada, but not in the United States, where a 100% tax is imposed on commercial vehicles assembled outside the country. This is why Volkswagen did not import the cargo version of the ID.Buzz, although it could have been sold in Canada.
One thing's for sure, the arrival of an electric van at a price well below that of a Volkswagen ID.Buzz is excellent news for our market. And since Stellantis is expected to come up with a new 100% electric Pacifica (based on the STLA platform) within the next two years, we can look forward to a revival of this market.
So, in order, we can expect Kia to launch the EV5 first, closely followed by the EV3 and then the EV4. As for the PV5, no date has been officially announced, but Kia has confirmed that it will arrive some time next year.
