Kia unveiled two new electric concepts: the tiny EV3 SUV and an EV4 sedan.
Within the next three years, Kia aims to sell its first million electric vehicles. That’s a huge milestone to hit, and to make that number it needs a wider lineup: Enter the Concept EV3 and EV4, cars the automaker actually aims to launch in production spec within the next year.
Before getting into what these cars are all about, let’s cover some background. After the EV6 kicked off Kia’s bespoke electric sub-brand, the EV9 came in as one of the first (and so far, one of the only) three-row electric SUVs for family-focused buyers. Now, we’re working our way back down the lineup with the compact EV5, and these two concepts more or less round out the full EV crossover lineup.
The Kia EV3 and EV4 aim to offer a more affordable entry point of around $35,000. To that end, the company’s strategy with these two is to compete against existing EV models like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, as well as burgeoning contenders like the Volvo EX30 and Mini Countryman SE, just to name a few examples.
On their design, the Concept EV3 obviously bears a strong resemblance to the larger EV9. However, the Concept EV4 sedan seems to blend in some of the EV6’s smoother curves and lines, at least into the front end. At the back, the EV4 takes on the fashionable coupe-like rear end that gives it a much longer profile, while hopefully also aiding cargo space at least a little bit.
Inside, Kia touts the extensive use of sustainable materials in the concepts’ design. In addition to ergonomic seating and ambient lighting meant to enhance “emotional well-being”, the center console was grown from mycelium (mushroom roots) and “bio fabricated” instead. Kia also talks about molding other natural materials like madder roots, walnut shells and help fibers to fashion each concept’s interior.
As far as propulsion is concerned, both concepts should use Kia’s E-GMP platform, as seen with the EV6 and EV9, when they make it to the production stage. It’s likely we’ll also see the same 58-kWh battery pack that Kia uses in the base EV6 Light trim, and possibly the larger 77.4-kWh pack as an option as well.
