Drawing much in terms of style from the excellent EV9, the new EV3 will be Kia’s foray into the all-electric compact crossover segment. Shown today in its home market, the EV3 is likely to be popular with EV shoppers when it goes on sale in this country.
For starters, it is a handsome thing with the scaled down visage of its big brother. Kia says the EV3 measures 169.3 inches long and 72.8 inches wide on a 105.5-inch wheelbase; this puts it in league with vehicles like the Volvo EX30. In fact, the EV3 is about five inches shorter than Kia’s own Niro but its cabin could be more spacious thanks to an EV-first architecture instead of having electric gubbins shoved into a body initially designed for a (at least partial) gasoline-fueled powertrain. If you’re wondering, the Niro wheelbase is barely an inch longer than the EV3 despite the entire machine being nearly half-a-foot greater in length.
At launch in other markets, the EV3 will be available with a choice of battery packs, either 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh in size. You can wager the latter will be the default choice in North America, though we wouldn’t rule out the former technically being available in order to permit Kia to advertise an attractive entry price.
Speaking of price, Kia is said to be targeting $30,000 in this country, a figure chased by umpteen other EV makers but offered only by shorter-range cars like the Mini Cooper Electric and Nissan Leaf. Hitting the dual targets of 300 miles and $30k would be something of a coup. However, there’s every chance in the world both will be true – just not in the same trim.
The endlessly optimistic WLTP measurement tests claim at least one variant of the EV3 will be able to traverse 600 kilometers (375 miles) on a single charge, though the more realistic EPA rating has yet to be determined. If the little scamp can eke 300 miles out of its battery, it would make an attractive option for EV shoppers looking for a rig this size that doesn’t need to be constantly plugged into an outlet.
Horsepower is said to be right around the 200hp mark, with torque settling at roughly the same number (150kW and 283nm are the official measures). Acceleration to highway speeds should take somewhere in the mid-7 second range, on to a top speed just north of 100 miles per hour. Statistic nerds will enjoy learning the EV3 has a coefficient of drag listed at 0.263 Cd which is about two ticks below the much larger, but similarly styled, EV9. Front-wheel drive is the propulsion of choice, at least to start. An all-wheel drive variant is likely to appear later.
Kia figures the EV3 should wend its way to our shores sometime next year.
[Images: Kia]
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