The Kia EV3 is the Korean model’s new small electrical SUV, with funky and chunky styling impressed by the bigger EV5 and EV9.
The EV3 will go on sale in Korea in July, Europe later in 2024, and in different markets in 2025.
CarExpert understands it’ll arrive in Australia through the first half of 2025.
Electrical car (EV) demand could also be cooling in some markets, however Kia is getting ready a volley of EVs for quantity segments. This contains not solely the EV3 and beforehand revealed EV5 crossovers, but in addition the EV2 and EV4.
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EV3
Kia goals to promote 200,000 EV3s yearly, throughout markets as numerous because the US, Europe and Korea.
The EV3 measures 4300mm lengthy, 1850mm large and 1560mm tall on a 2680mm wheelbase, making it barely shorter than the Niro EV.
It sits on a front-wheel drive model of Kia’s E-GMP platform, although Kia has confirmed a dual-motor all-wheel drive model is coming.
The EV3 may also be supplied in GT guise, nonetheless Kia hasn’t confirmed after we’ll see it.
Within the meantime, each Commonplace Vary and Lengthy Vary fashions use a front-mounted electrical motor with 150kW of energy and 283Nm of torque, good for a 0-100km/h time of seven.5 seconds.
Kia says this grunt is shipped to the bottom easily due to Electrical Dynamic Torque Vectoring Management.
The EV3 Commonplace Vary has a 58.3kWh battery, whereas the Lengthy Vary has an 81.4kWh battery. All fashions have a 400V electrical structure.
Kia claims the EV3 will provide best-in-class electrical vary of as much as 600km in Lengthy Vary guise on the WLTP cycle.
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EV3 GT-Line
It additionally says its battery could be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in roughly 31 minutes.
The EV3 debuts the most recent model of Kia’s regenerative braking know-how, referred to as i-Pedal 3.0.
As with different Kia EVs, it additionally options Car-to-Load (V2L) functionality, permitting you to energy small home equipment and the like.
The EV3 intently resembles the EV3 idea revealed final 12 months, although there are some element adjustments like revised headlight internals and the addition of precise (flush-mounted) door handles.
Kia claims a drag coefficient of 0.263.
As is widespread with Kia autos, customary and GT-Line fashions function totally different entrance and rear bumper therapies from one another.
The GT-Line options wheels with a equally funky squared-off design, however with much less in the way in which of brightwork, whereas the distinctive bumpers additionally eschew metal-look trim for a extra blacked-out look.
General, the EV3 has a transparent familial resemblance to the bigger EV5 and EV9 SUVs with its vertically oriented headlights and angular tail lights and flared fenders.
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EV3
It avoids trying like a shrunken model of both, nonetheless, with its extra rounded roofline; Kia says the EV3 has a “hatchback-style tailgate”.
9 exterior colors can be found, two of which – Aventurine Inexperienced and Terracotta – have been designed completely for the EV3.
The EV3 options Kia’s first use of recycled plastics on the outside, with the cladding containing a “specific amount” of recycled materials.
There’s loads extra inside, with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used for the seats, headliner, ground mats and baggage board. There are additionally obtainable PET-based material garnishes and armrests.
You’re not caught with recycled PET trim, as this isn’t present in EV3s with the sunshine gray inside colourway, whereas the obtainable leatherette upholstery doesn’t include any PET.
The cabin has a transparent resemblance to the EV3 idea, however it’s way more typical trying with precise switchgear. Kia says it has gone for a “dwelling space-like atmosphere”.
Whereas there’s no mint inexperienced inside just like the idea, there are a number of different colourways comprising Delicate Gray, Heat Gray and Blue. Onyx Black is unique to the GT-Line.
As with the idea, there’s a digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen in a single meeting. These have a diameter of 12.3 inches, whereas in between sits a 5.0-inch local weather management show.
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EV3 GT-Line
A 12-inch head-up show sits forward of the driving force.
Beneath the touchscreen is a pair of vents, under which sits a single row of switches.
The centre console juts out however doesn’t join with the centre stack, although it could actually fold out to grow to be a desk.
There’s 460L of house within the cargo bay, which has a two-tier baggage board, whereas there’s a 25L storage compartment beneath the bonnet.
Kia has designed the EV3 to be snug not solely whereas driving, but in addition whilst you’re charging. Along with the fold-out desk, there are “rest” seats plus a Harman Kardon sound system and a variety of streaming companies accessible through the touchscreen.
The EV3 makes use of LG’s Automotive Content material Platform powered by webOS, and subsequently presents not solely streaming companies like YouTube but in addition arcade video games.
You should use the Kia Join Retailer to obtain apps in addition to new themes for the automotive’s screens.
The EV3 is the following mannequin after the K4 to function Kia’s AI voice assistant, which the corporate says can “converse naturally with customers”. In a promotional video, Kia confirmed the EV3’s system responding to questions like “Any strategies for one thing enjoyable to do that weekend?”
Different know-how contains Kia’s Distant Sensible Parking Help, permitting you to manoeuvre the car in or out of a parking house from outdoors, plus a set of lively security gear together with autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep help and Freeway Driving Help.
The EV3 is anticipated to affix Kia’s rising EV lineup in Australia, which presently consists of the Niro EV, EV6 and EV9 and can quickly embrace the EV5.
