Up to 600 km range, Kia EV3 compact BEV SUV debuts - baby EV9 to go on sale beginning July 2024

The latest in Kia's battery electric vehicle (BEV) line up, the Kia EV3, has just made its global debut. This compact SUV will go on sale in Korea in July 2024, with European and global markets to follow thereafter.

Exterior

Much like the brand's handsome range of BEVs, the EV3 is designed under Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ philosophy. This design approach gives the EV3 a dynamic look, highlighted by the Tiger Face fascia that incorporates the brand's newest Star Map light signature.

In fact, the profile looks a lot more like a hatchback than a small SUV. There's more than just small traces of the EV9 in the way the decklid and rear lights are designed, including the geometric design of the wheels.

Kia offers the EV3 in nine body colors – two of which have been created exclusively for the new model: Aventurine Green and Terracotta.

Interior

Meanwhile inside, the EV3 offers a spacious cabin for five. The interior includes a sliding center console, multi-adjustable ambient lighting, and ultra-comfortable seats with a fold-back relaxation mode.

A near-30-inch widescreen display integrates a 12.3-inch cluster, a 5-inch air-conditioning panel, and another 12.3-inch display for seamless control of various functions.

In addition to the creative use of interior space, the EV3 offers a 25-litre frunk and 460-litre bootspace, which also provides over 140 mm of load height flexibility.

The EV3 offers a range of connectivity and entertainment features, including Kia's Premium Streaming service and in-car gaming, Harman Kardon audio, and NBA team-inspired display themes. Generative AI makes an appearance too, affording natural language interaction for vehicular functions like entertainment and trip planning.

Like all new Kia models, the EV3 includes various sustainable materials to promote large-scale sustainability.

Recycled fabric is used on the dashboard and door trims, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET, like your RM 1 mineral water bottles) is utilised throughout the interior, including the seats, headliner, door armrests, trim, floor mats, and luggage board.

Powertrain and range

The EV3 is built on Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and is available in two variants: Standard with a 58.3 kWh battery and Long Range with an 81.4 kWh battery. Both models use a 204 PS / 283 Nm electric motor, enabling a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 170 km/h. The Long Range model boasts an impressive WLTP range of up to 600 km.

The EV3 can charge from 10-80% in approximately 31 minutes using fast-charging capabilities, though exact speeds aren't mentioned at point of publication.

ADAS and safety

The EV3 comes equipped with a suite of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Highway Driving Assist. The EV3 also features Kia’s new i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking technology for one-pedal driving. Additionally, the EV3 introduces Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging, allowing occupants to power external devices.

Meanwhile, it also gets Kia’s Remote Smart Parking Assist that enables owners to maneuver the EV3 into and out of tight spaces without the driver having to sit in the vehicle.