Kia Three New EV Unveiled in Kia EV Day

At the Kia brand’s annual Kia EV Day in Korea on Thursday, the Kia Corporation reaffirmed its ambitious global plan to lead and accelerate the ‘electric vehicle revolution’ by unveiling three new electric models that range in size from small to medium.

During the event, the company outlined its vision of ‘EVs for all’ and its strategy to dramatically and swiftly increase the EV model line-up it offers. It has demonstrated how it is extending its model line-up further with three new small- to medium-sized electric models that provide more people with better alternatives and access to EVs. Having successfully established itself as a brand of electric vehicles with the launch of the EV6 and EV9, it has demonstrated how it is now expanding its model line-up further.

In addition to introducing two concept models, the presentation highlighted the world premiere of the EV5, a compact electric SUV designed with the families of millennials in mind. While the Kia Concept EV3 strives to bring the benefits of the Kia EV9 in a compact SUV, the Kia Concept EV4 reimagines electric sedans with a beautiful look. Both of these concepts are electric vehicles. In addition to revealing the line-up, the event highlighted Kia’s electric vehicle (EV) strategy, which aims to improve the ease and reliability of Kia’s products for customers while addressing common problems such as charging infrastructure.

When purchasing an electric vehicle, Kia is highly focused on answering the problems that lead consumers to have second thoughts. According to Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of the company, “We will meet the expectations of our customers by offering a full line-up of EVs at a variety of price points and improving the availability of charging infrastructure.”

“Kia’s move to electric vehicles is not an option but necessary given the company’s commitment to providing sustainable transportation solutions. Our end goal is to make Kia’s one-of-a-kind value accessible to the widest possible audience by creating cutting-edge electric vehicle technology, daring designs, and user-friendly services and then incorporating these elements across our whole line-up of electric vehicles. “Accelerating the transition to electric power has begun,” he said.

In addition, the company has disclosed its intentions to enhance various customer experience services. This involves consolidating many tasks into a smartphone application that is friendly to users, introducing new services at their physical locations, and providing customers with artificial intelligence (AI) services that they can utilise while driving.

Kia’s mission statement reads: “Kia aims to provide sustainable mobility solutions and meet the needs of our customers by removing perceived barriers.” We want each interaction with a customer, whether digital, offline, or even while in the vehicle, to be as simple and pleasurable as is humanly possible. This comprises the pre-purchase and post-purchase phases, as Charles Ryu, Head of the Brand and Customer Experience Division, stated.

“We will continue to serve the needs of our customers through new digital platforms and technologies to continue discovering better methods to move forward in the future. Because our commitment is at the centre of Kia’s DNA, which is to provide more innovative and environmentally responsible mobility solutions that make people’s lives better, he said.

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As a result of the products and efforts that were unveiled today, the company’s objective is to reach an annual sales target of one million electric vehicles by the year 2026 and then expand that number to 1.6 million units per year by the year 2030.

Existing models like the EV6 and EV9, as well as future offers that are geared towards the famous B- and C-segments, will be included in Kia’s strategy to establish a comprehensive electric vehicle line-up with prices ranging from 30,000 to 80,000 United States Dollars. As a result, customers will have easy access to electric vehicles. To hasten the transition to widespread use of electric vehicles, the manufacturer intends to market more compact electric vehicles (EVs) such as the EV5, EV4, and EV3, with costs ranging from USD 35,000 to USD 50,000.

The EV6 and EV9 will be the primary emphasis of the initial launch in developing regions with slower EV adoption rates. Subsequent releases of strategic models, such as the EV5, EV4, and EV3, will follow after the initial launch. This strategy tries to broaden the range of available products and accommodate various customer preferences.

The goal of the brand is to increase the number of worldwide EV production facilities to a total of eight by the year 2025, and work is now underway to build a dependable system for the production of electric vehicles and the supply of batteries. These facilities will cover research, development, production, and supply, with Korea as the focal centre. In Europe, the emphasis will be placed on manufacturing electric vehicles with sizes ranging from small to medium, while in China, the attention will be placed on electric vehicles with sizes ranging from medium to large. Production of electric vehicle models with a strategic design that caters to emerging markets will take place in India. As another measure to comply with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Kia intends to launch a comprehensive selection of electric vehicle (EV) models across the North American market.

In addition, the company is making strides towards forming battery joint ventures to develop a reliable global battery supply system that is in sync with its global electric vehicle production network.

Kia’s line-up of electric vehicle (EV) models: Each EV model in Kia’s line-up plays a critical strategic role in speeding the transition to EVs by spreading the appeal and democratisation of EV models to an ever-expanding consumer demography. This helps to accelerate the EV transition.

Although each model is developed in its own unique way to cater to the individual and varied requirements of customers, they all have a few things in common, such as the cutting-edge electric platform technology developed by the brand, the creative ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, and the sustainable colour, material, and finish (CMF) strategy developed by the company. The latter means implementing sustainability at scale through action, such as using ten must-have sustainable products to create each model. These items include bioplastic, bio paint, and recycled PET or fishing net carpet, amongst others.

Kia EV5 SUV

The Kia EV5, the brand’s third dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV), is constructed on the E-GMP, the brand’s dedicated electric vehicle (EV) platform. This vehicle brings a novel era of electric transportation and a distinctive SUV style. It features a form sculpted by the brand’s one-of-a-kind design philosophy known as “Opposites United,” it combines extraordinary versatility and superb comfort with cutting-edge technology, dynamic performance, and pioneering safety to offer a beautifully balanced vehicle.

The inside of the EV5 entirely reimagines the interior of the car. It features a huge inside space closer to a home lounge in idea and execution than a standard automobile cabin, drawing additional inspiration from the recently released larger EV9 SUV.

Electric Powertrain and driving experience

The company’s dedicated EV platform, E-GMP, will be made available for the EV5, giving the car a strong base for performance and adding to its superb overall driving characteristics.

The EV5 will be manufactured in both China and Korea, with three different models available in China: regular, long-range, and long-range AWD.

According to the Combined Charging and Load Cycle (CLTC) guidelines, the base model, which comes with a 64kWh battery pack and a 160kW motor, is predicted to have a driving range of 530km per charge. The long-range model uses the same 160kW motor and an 88kWh battery and intends to travel 720 km on a single charge. The long-range AWD variant will have an 88kWh battery pack, a front-wheel 160kW motor, and a rear-wheel 70kW motor to produce 230kW of total power. Based on CLTC requirements, Kia aims for a 650km driving range with the AWD variant. Thanks to the model’s fast charging feature, In just 27 minutes, the battery can go from 30% to 80% charged.

All EV5 model variations for Korea, including normal, long-range, and long-range AWD versions, are being developed with prospective changes being considered. The base model will include a 160kW front motor and a 58kWh battery. The long-distance vehicle will have the same 160kW front motor and 81kWh battery. A second 70kW rear motor will be added to the long-distance AWD vehicle, giving it a maximum combined power output of 225kW. Each model’s driving range will be adapted to the market’s needs.

The EV5 battery has been designed to work well in all four seasons, even in extremely hot and cold conditions. The EV5 has included sophisticated heat pump technology, which is already a well-liked feature of the EV6, to control the battery’s temperature, assuring consistent performance regardless of environmental factors.

It will feature regenerative braking and an i-Pedal system that lets drivers accelerate and decelerate with a single pedal, reducing driver fatigue and improving comfort.

The EV market is growing from one that primarily served a smaller group of early adopters to one that now serves a more significant mass majority of consumers. As a pioneer in the great EV transition, we have quickly diversified our EV line-up to include numerous small- and medium-sized models, like the EV5, in addition to the EV6 and EV9. With more options available to consumers, the popularity of electric vehicles will increase thanks to our competitive, expanding EV line-up, according to Spencer Cho, head of the global business planning sub-division.

Infotainment and connectivity

Modern entertainment and networking technology are installed in the EV5’s roomy, bright, and well-ventilated cabin to improve efficiency and convenience on every trip while allowing passengers to stay safely connected to the digital world as they travel.

It has the connected vehicle Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system and can get software upgrades wirelessly. It has a Panoramic Wide Display, which combines a 5-inch climate control display with a 12.3-inch cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment system. With the help of these technologies, the driver has access to rich content and information for a comfortable and engaging driving experience.

The audio-visual, navigation, and telematics (AVNT) panels all use the brand’s new Unified Graphical User Interface (GUI), and the CDU guarantees improved consistency in information presentation. Easy-to-use menus enhance the usefulness of EV-specific features and let drivers quickly keep an eye on things like range and EV charging. An optional windscreen HUD (head-up display) further improves the uninterrupted information flow.

The number of physical buttons is maintained to a minimum throughout the cabin. The start/stop function, AVNT, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control are provided via four concealed hard keys beneath the main AVNT panel; formerly, these systems would have needed 17 buttons to be controlled.

An after-blow feature lessens air conditioner odours, creating a comfortable interior environment for all occupants. The three-zone climate control system allows individual control for the front passenger, second row, and the driver.

Without taking the SUV to a dealership, customers can keep their EV5 regularly updated by upgrading the SUV’s digital features and services. The Kia Connect Store provides a wide range of options to enhance the performance and user experience of the car above and beyond the standard features.

Safety and convenience features

There are a total of seven airbags in the EV5. Along with having cutting-edge seatbelt technology, its structure is designed for maximum strength. It comes standard with the manufacturer’s newest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and several active safety features.

The vehicle has Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA2), which aids in lane changes, maintaining lane centre, and adjusting lateral positions.

Customers can use touch to engage the Kia Digital Key 2 smart key’s Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 (RSPA 2) function. Thanks to this technology, the SUV can park itself without the driver’s assistance, inside or outside the car. Additionally, when manoeuvring through confined parking spaces, the smart exit feature and a remote advance and reverse function give drivers additional peace of mind. These features help make parking and driving more carefree and pleasurable.

The RSPA 2 autonomously steers the car into the assigned parking place while regulating the brakes, accelerator, and shifting using ultrasonic sensors to identify impediments. The system automatically applies the brakes if it notice an object that could be a barrier on its route. Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) is another technology that helps to avoid crashes with oncoming traffic when reversing.

By integrating Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) features, efforts are being made to improve energy utilisation in the EV5. The high-voltage battery can power extra electrical devices using V2L. Kia will concentrate on implementing V2G in areas with the required infrastructure, allowing extra battery energy to be fed into the grid.

Multiple seating configurations

Seat options for the EV5 include eco-friendly recycled PET fabric and Bio-PU leather covers. This ground-breaking method transforms the EV5’s roomy cabin from a place where passengers can sit while riding into an incredibly comfortable, beneficial, and inspirational space that fulfils the needs of millennial families and guarantees a pleasurable experience each time they get inside.

Bench-style seats (available solely on the Chinese market) and mood lighting in the front of the car give passengers a cosy place to sit. The table and storage built into the centre console armrest increase the vehicle’s utility.

The continually adjustable back angle of the reclining seats is intended to prevent pain in the back and spine. The four-mode, three-level massage function on relaxation seats lets passengers find their sweet spot when charging so they may resume their journey completely revived. With six massaging air cells, four-way lumbar support, a three-step warming and ventilation function, and a footrest, comfort seats significantly improve well-being. The model’s safety seats, which come with three airbags and a headrest that can be adjusted in four ways, offer the best occupant protection.

Thanks to the second-row camping seat’s 0-degree, full-flat folding design, families can easily convert the back of the car into a bedroom after arriving at their destination. They can eat pre-purchased food in the refrigerator/warmer in the rear console. With a capacity of 4.0 litres and 5 to 55 Celsius as the temperature range, the appliance offers food-warming and beverage-cooling capabilities. It can be utilised in various ways, including warming up liquids like tea and coffee during commutes and storing ice-cold beverages and water for summer camping vacations.

Naturally, the interior designers of the EV5 have also considered a feature allowing passengers to enjoy their meals whether they prefer to eat inside or outside. It appears as the incredibly adaptable Multi Table baggage board, which can quickly change into a table.

The Kia Concept EV3

The Concept EV3 embodies the brand’s idea for a small electric CUV that combines functionality and pure driving enjoyment. It provides customers with the technology, usefulness, and design of Kia’s flagship SUV, the EV9, in a convenient and small package. The core of Kia’s “Opposites United” design concept is delivering innovative design solutions by combining seemingly disparate sources, even though those attributes may appear contradictory to some. Additionally, the ‘Joy for Reason’ pillar of the design philosophy was a major inspiration for Kia’s designers when creating the Concept EV3.

“Joy might be thought of as the opposite of rationality. One results from a satisfying, dynamic reaction, whereas the other does so via reason. However, when the two are united, their disparate features combine to create a strong and incredibly compelling design, according to Executive vice president and director of the Kia Global Design Centre Karim Habib.

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“With the Concept EV3, ‘Joy for Reason’ is influenced by the Concept’s contrasting traits of a sturdy body and dynamic silhouette. Additionally, the unexpected way that volumes and images are handled simultaneously interacts with one another to produce a rational yet dynamic design.

The windscreen being pushed forward and the long, sloping roofline give the cabin a distinctive look. The robust architecture of the squared wheel arches, which is sliced at asymmetrical angles, produces an unanticipated logic and a striking appearance. The wrap-around windscreen and detached C pillar, which connect the glasshouse surfaces and give the roof a floating aspect, are in contrast to this.

The Concept EV3’s interior combines extraordinary utility with ground-breaking cabin ambience and style. The “Joy for Reason” pillar, which also influences the exterior of the vehicles, combines seemingly incompatible values to execute a precise product design language, creating a joyful cabin to travel in while offering enough space to support an active lifestyle once occupants arrive at their destination.

Additionally, the cabin’s setting fosters emotional health. The captivating, ultra-clean shape and surface of the dashboard, created by superbly honed character lines, gives an enormous visual feeling to offer up the promise of limitless opportunities on every voyage, accentuating gentle mood lighting.

In keeping with the brand’s mission to achieve sustainability at scale, cutting-edge ergonomic seat design and eco-friendly materials come together with little tables that can change in size, orientation, and inclination. The tables offer four customer experience-improving modes—Focus, Social, Refreshing, and Storage—along with the movement of the seats. The bench-style folding back seat is equally adaptable and straightforward to fold upward, making it possible to store large items like electric scooters and bicycles.

The Kia Concept EV4

The Concept EV4 embodies the ‘Power to Progress’ pillar of the ‘Opposites Untied’ design concept in all its simplicity. “Power to Progress” emphasises the abilities, knowledge, and creativity acquired throughout Kia’s most recent phase of design-led transformation. This strategy fosters the development of cutting-edge products beyond creating new standards for designing specific vehicles to reshape whole industries. With the Concept EV4, this is the situation.

Its four-door configuration may indicate that it belongs in the sedan category. But the model’s strong and striking lines symbolise more than just another sedan; they are a beacon of innovation for a new EV car.

The Concept EV4 symbolises a new value, approach, customer experience, and typology. It was inspired by the “Power of Progress” and realised through the seamless blending of bold, geometric diagonal character lines and rich yet technical surfaces. Features like the expressive, sleek low nose, the elongated, dynamic long-tail profile, and the sophisticated roof spoiler confirm the EV4’s identity as an altogether new form of EV sedan.

An aggressive facial appearance complements the futuristic, scientific design of the Concept EV4. The model further represents the company’s willingness to push limits and speed up the EV Revolution by having a broad, intimidating posture and headlamps mounted vertically at the farthest borders of the hood and front bumper.

The cabin has a modern, roomy horizontal arrangement with chic design accents that put the driver’s pleasure first without obscuring their view.

To accomplish this, Kia’s interior designers included pin-style air vents that allow for flexible pattern changes and a neatly towable air conditioning control panel to the centre console, among other interior design improvements.

The driver can interact with the car in a novel and unobtrusive way thanks to the cocoon-like atmosphere of the interior. To assist drivers in focusing and getting ready for their impending tasks, a slimmed-down instrument panel with twin digital screens presents nuanced levels of driver orientation.

A new ‘Mind Modes’ function on the Concept EV4 lets you change the ambient lighting and dynamic ventilation patterns. The driver is given all the information they need to perform at their best and make the most of their day in “Perform” mode. ‘Serenity’ mode, in contrast, provides a variety of digital graphics to produce a more relaxing atmosphere for reflection and repose.

Future EV Days

According to the firm, Kia will continue offering brand-new electric cars, concepts, and ground-breaking technology every year at EV Day and use the occasion to communicate its forward-thinking EV strategy and vision for future mobility.