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Kia is using its first annual EV Day to unveil two new concepts, creatively named EV3 and EV4, which preview a pair of affordable battery-powered cars that the brand plans to bring to market as early as 2024. In broadening its EV range, which already consists of the larger EV6 and EV9 crossovers, Kia says it will expand its pricing horizons to reach from $30,000 to as high as $80,000. The company's goals aren't unlike the ambitious plans of other automakers, as Kia is betting on selling no less than one million EVs by 2026.
EV3 Concept
Previewing what will be Kia's smallest electric crossover to date, the EV3 Concept brings the boxy goodness of the three-row EV9 and shrinks it to a much smaller scale. The EV3 uses its compact dimensions to its own advantage, mixing the sharp lines of Kia's current design language with some softer elements, such as its short, rounded overhangs and flowing beltline. Meanwhile, the lighting elements, edgy wheel arch moldings, and daring wheel designs seem to have been ripped clean off the EV9.
Kia has also provided a sneak peek into the concept's minimalist interior, which once again resembles a stripped-down take on that of the EV9. The crossover's mint green cabin features swaths of mood lighting, interesting textures and patterns, as well as ergonomic seating. Beyond that, Kia talks up the sustainable materials it has used inside the concept. The seats consist of natural fiber, which is said to be an eco-friendly alternative to carbon fiber, and the center console was made using mushroom roots through a process known as bio fabrication.
The production EV3 is expected to be underpinned by the company's E-GMP architecture, which would allow for battery capacities of either 58.0 kWh or 77.4 kWh. Powertrain configurations are a mystery as of now.
EV4 Concept
The EV4 breaks the mold as Kia's first EV to take the form of a genuine sedan. While it carries on the same edgy design language as the brand's battery-powered SUVs, this lends it a distinctive look that sets it apart from Hyundai's slippery Ioniq 6. Vertical lighting elements dominate the concept's tapered front end and high-riding rear, while sharp lines and bold wheel designs are found in between.
The EV4's interior largely mirrors the EV3's, featuring the same minimalistic design but with different eco-friendly materials. Many of the concept's interior bits are made up of recycled cotton, dyed using sustainable resources such as walnut shells and madder roots. The EV4's center console uses hemp fibers, which grow quickly and require very few resources. The storage area beneath that center console, along with parts of the dash, are adorned with a hand-woven fabric knit pattern.
In case the sustainable materials bore you, Kia added some extra flair to the EV4's interior with what it calls 'Mind Modes.' The feature uses the vehicle's ambient lighting and ventilation systems and adjusts them to different settings, including the information-packed 'Perform' and the more relaxing 'Serenity' mode.
On Sale By Next Year
The EV3 will be the first of the two models to arrive as a production model, with Kia confirming that it will hit the road sometime next year. The EV4, meanwhile, will come a bit later, with a release date that will likely edge closer to 2025.
What do you think of Kia's more affordable EV options?
Image Credits: Kia
Revealed
Oct 14, 2023
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Kia Previews More Affordable Electrics With EV3 And EV4 Concepts
The pair of concepts are expected to enter production as early as next year.
Kia is using its first annual EV Day to unveil two new concepts, creatively named EV3 and EV4, which preview a pair of affordable battery-powered cars that the brand plans to bring to market as early as 2024. In broadening its EV range, which already consists of the larger EV6 and EV9 crossovers, Kia says it will expand its pricing horizons to reach from $30,000 to as high as $80,000. The company's goals aren't unlike the ambitious plans of other automakers, as Kia is betting on selling no less than one million EVs by 2026.
EV3 Concept
Previewing what will be Kia's smallest electric crossover to date, the EV3 Concept brings the boxy goodness of the three-row EV9 and shrinks it to a much smaller scale. The EV3 uses its compact dimensions to its own advantage, mixing the sharp lines of Kia's current design language with some softer elements, such as its short, rounded overhangs and flowing beltline. Meanwhile, the lighting elements, edgy wheel arch moldings, and daring wheel designs seem to have been ripped clean off the EV9.
Kia has also provided a sneak peek into the concept's minimalist interior, which once again resembles a stripped-down take on that of the EV9. The crossover's mint green cabin features swaths of mood lighting, interesting textures and patterns, as well as ergonomic seating. Beyond that, Kia talks up the sustainable materials it has used inside the concept. The seats consist of natural fiber, which is said to be an eco-friendly alternative to carbon fiber, and the center console was made using mushroom roots through a process known as bio fabrication.
The production EV3 is expected to be underpinned by the company's E-GMP architecture, which would allow for battery capacities of either 58.0 kWh or 77.4 kWh. Powertrain configurations are a mystery as of now.
EV4 Concept
The EV4 breaks the mold as Kia's first EV to take the form of a genuine sedan. While it carries on the same edgy design language as the brand's battery-powered SUVs, this lends it a distinctive look that sets it apart from Hyundai's slippery Ioniq 6. Vertical lighting elements dominate the concept's tapered front end and high-riding rear, while sharp lines and bold wheel designs are found in between.
The EV4's interior largely mirrors the EV3's, featuring the same minimalistic design but with different eco-friendly materials. Many of the concept's interior bits are made up of recycled cotton, dyed using sustainable resources such as walnut shells and madder roots. The EV4's center console uses hemp fibers, which grow quickly and require very few resources. The storage area beneath that center console, along with parts of the dash, are adorned with a hand-woven fabric knit pattern.
In case the sustainable materials bore you, Kia added some extra flair to the EV4's interior with what it calls 'Mind Modes.' The feature uses the vehicle's ambient lighting and ventilation systems and adjusts them to different settings, including the information-packed 'Perform' and the more relaxing 'Serenity' mode.
On Sale By Next Year
The EV3 will be the first of the two models to arrive as a production model, with Kia confirming that it will hit the road sometime next year. The EV4, meanwhile, will come a bit later, with a release date that will likely edge closer to 2025.
What do you think of Kia's more affordable EV options?
Image Credits: Kia
