Kia has unveiled its next electric car, the EV3 compact SUV, which was previewed as a concept last fall. The good news is that the production version looks pretty similar to the concept with its EV9 styling cues.
The EV3’s face features the same squared off look as the EV9 with its vertical headlights and slim daytime running lights. The dark cladding around the wheels and side give it a more rugged look. The EV3 has a small footprint at 169 inches long, 61 inches tall and, 73 inches wide.
The EV3 will be offered in nine body colors – two of which have been created exclusively for it: Aventurine Green and Terracotta.
We don’t know all the trim levels that the EV3 will be offered in, but the GT-Line has been confirmed, which features a unique front bumper, trim and special wheels.
Inside the minimalistic interior features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a small 5-inch panel for the climate controls. Kia says that it has given the EV3 “a highly functional and effective cabin that exudes an appealing living space-like ambience” to make sure that occupants are comfortable on the road or when the EV3 is being charged. There’s even a folding table in the center console that can be used as a work station.
Kia hasn’t revealed all the powertrain specs, but the Long Range EV3 will have a 81.4-kWh-capacity battery, while the standard version has a 58.3-kilowatt-hour battery. For now the EV3 only features a front electric motor that 201 horsepower and 209 pound-feet of torque, although since the EV3 is based on the E-GMP platform as the other Kia and Hyundai EVs, a rear electric motor could happen. Kia just hasn’t confirmed if it will in fact offer an all-wheel drive version.
The Long Range version has a 372 mile range on Europe’s WLTP cycle, which will be lower using the EPA standards. You can recharged the EV3 from 10-80 percent in 31 minutes.
Kia has not announced when the EV3 will arrive in the US.
