New Kia EV3 to be unveiled in summer 2024
Kia released further details on its all-new, all-electric SUV at its Investor Day
At Kia’s ‘EV Day’ last year we were treated to a slew of new all-electric concept cars - including the Kia EV3 Concept. Now we can confirm the production-ready Kia EV3 will be revealed in the third quarter of 2024.
The announcement was made during Kia’s annual Investor Day, which laid out further details on other all-electric vehicles such as the EV4, EV5 and EV2. The EV3 will be the first of this group, following on from the EV6, EV5 and EV9.
Like the EV9 Concept and EV5 Concept, this Kia EV3 Concept is close to production-ready. The EV3 Concept borrows plenty of the angular design themes also seen on the EV9 and EV5 and the interior takes on a radically minimalist approach.
No technical details have been announced for the Kia EV3 yet but it should utilise Hyundai-Kia Group’s E-GMP platform already seen on the EV6. The EV6 will receive a mid-life refresh later in 2024, which could see an 82kWh battery added to its line up (the same unit used in the facelifted Hyundai Ioniq 5 sibling). This battery could then find its way into the EV3, perhaps alongside the existing 58kWh and 77.4kWh batteries already found in the EV6.
We expect a maximum electric range of over 300 miles for the EV3 and a selection of single-motor and dual-motor four-wheel drive powertrains are also on the cards. A performance-focused GT variant could be added at a later date as the firm reiterated its plans to continue releasing GT trim variants of its EV models at the 2024 Investor Day. The next GT model will be the EV9 GT in January 2025.
In terms of looks, the EV3 Concept certainly abides by Kia’s current design language. A C-segment SUV, the car has dimensions close to those of a Kia Sportage but with a more squat, aggressive stance highlighted by those chunky wheel arches.
To the front, the LED headlights are similar to the EV5’s, without the strip along the bonnet’s leading edge, and there’s no real grille to speak of. The lack of painted pillars gives the roof a floating effect and the roofline slopes down to the rear to create a sportier profile. Rear light strips that fall away to the side further accentuate the car’s width.
The interior borrows a lot from the EV9 Concept with an oval-shaped steering wheel, floating centre console, ambient lighting, a huge dual-screen sat on the dash and a fairly minimal layout to help promote the sense of space. Extra practicality comes in the form of a bench-type rear seat that can fold upward to store large items like ‘electric scooters and bicycles’ according to Kia.
Kia will roll out AI technology to help improve the day-to-day running of the EV3. The firm says the technology will debut on the EV3 model and can help organise things like schedule management, route optimisation, travel planning, entertainment and emergency support.
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