Impressive EV3 requires a wait

Kiwis keen to get their hands on Kia’s new EV3 small SUV may have a wait ahead of them, with deliveries not due to land here until the first quarter of 2025.

The covers came off the car earlier this week, carrying many of the same design cues as its EV9 big brother, with a distinct hint of BMW i3 to the shape. That is hardly unsurprising, with Kia’s head of global design, Karim Habib, holding the same job at the German company when the i3 was developed.

Still, for a small car, the EV3 manages to look pretty stout, with chunky pillars and broad surfaces. It looks bigger in images than it actually is—being a few mm shorter in length and height than an MG ZS but a handy 50mm wider.

It is also around the same size as a Kia Niro, which Kia management suggested would likely shift to being more of a hybrid model in many markets with the EV3’s arrival. An EV2 and EV4 are also on their way, potentially forcing the Niro further out as an EV.

Price-wise, Kia management suggested a $35,000 USD starting price, putting the EV3 at just under $60,000 NZD. Add in the usual rise in prices for cars landing here, and the Korean-built EV3 could come close to the price of the Chinese-sourced EV5.

The EV3 sits on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) shared with other Kia and Hyundai products. Initially, it offers two battery options: a 58.3kWh standard model and an 81.4kWh long-range variant, capable of delivering up to 600km on a single charge.

Both models are equipped with a 150kW motor, achieving 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 170km/h. A dual-motor option has been promised.

Advanced technologies such as the Battery Management Unit and Cell Monitoring Unit ensure efficient energy use, while the vehicle’s aerodynamic design contributes to a low drag coefficient of 0.263 Cd. That slippery figure helps the model achieve 600km of range on the WLTP cycle.

Interestingly, the EV3 uses NMC cells, rather than the LFP units found in the EV5. Unlike the EV6 and EV9, though, the system is 400-volt rather than 800-volt, decreasing charging performance. V2L will be available.

One-pedal driving will be included through what Kia calls ‘I-Pedal 3.0’, along with driver assistance features such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Highway Driving Assist. A 12-inch heads-up display will feature.

With AI being the buzzword of the moment, it has to play a bigger role in cars, and it is present in the EV3. The Kia AI Assistant, now enhanced with generative AI, offers natural language interaction and supports travel planning and vehicle function optimization—or in the case of Kia’s demonstration, finding a café nearby and suggesting music.

The AI operates on a near 30-inch widescreen display, which features a data connection, media streaming, and over-the-air updates.

Kia’s introduction of the EV3 is part of its broader strategy to increase EV accessibility and drive the transition to sustainable mobility solutions. The EV3 will debut in South Korea in July 2024, with a European launch planned for the second half of the year, followed by other regions.