Kia EV2 concept previews new budget all-electric SUV
The new Kia EV2 is set to arrive in the UK in the first half of next year. Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song says that he expects the new baby EV SUV to cost around €30,000 (£25,000).
The Kia EV2 arrives at a time when a host of cheaper electric cars are coming to Europe, with Volkswagen due to unveil the ID. 2 soon and the likes of the Fiat Grande Panda, Citroen e-C3 and electric Vauxhall Frontera all costing under £25,000.
While some car makers are slowing their EV plans, Ho Sung Song referred to Kia's 'unwavering commitment to its sustainable mobility provisions, making our EV line up accessible for the early majority.'
The Kia EV2 Concept is purely a design exercise at the moment, but we'd expect it to go on sale with a couple of battery options offering ranges of between 200 and 250 miles. This is a very urban-focused EV so more range is thought to be unnecessary.
As is usual with Kia EV concepts, it's expected that the EV2 production car will mirror the concept in its looks, if not some of the detail. Kia's design director Karim Habib confirmed as much to The Independent saying 'in terms of the relationship between production car and concept car, it's exactly the same as what you've seen between EV3 concept and EV3 production or EV4 concept and production.
'This might be our smallest EV, but it's got the biggest personality.'
The EV2's butterfly doors are unlikely to make production, but the cute, boxy looks, 'star map' LED front lights, sustainable interior and interesting tech are expected to make production. That tech includes the ability to display text messages through the windows to pedestrians and other road users, vehicle-to-load capability to power other devices, and over-the-air updates.
The concept features a fold-up rear seat and sliding front bench, plus removable cushions and speakers that can be used outside of the car, while the boxy SUV proportions and flat floor make it especially roomy for a car with a total length of just 4,060mm, but with a stretched wheelbase of 2,565mm.
Habib explained the thinking behind the clever interior. 'We really had the inspiration of this idea of 'picnic in the city'. We've been doing different versions of how to enjoy your vehicle when it's not moving.
'The idea of the sliding seat was that you can fold the rear seat and slide back the front seat so you can, in a small car like that, extend your legs to rest. Or the idea that you can remove the cushions and use them for your picnic.
'These are things we're doing with the concept car, but on the production car we're trying to find ways to make these little usability moments more accessible, more pleasant.'
It's possible that the production version of the Kia EV2 will be shown before the end of this year, with an on-sale date expected in 2026.
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