Kia EV3: All You Need to Know

Kia has revealed the EV3. It’s an electric SUV which expands Kia’s global EV portfolio, comprising EV9, EV6, and EV5. The Kia EV3 vehicle shares its E-GMP platform, design cues and interior features with its elder siblings.

Kia EV3: Exterior Design

One can easily tell by looking at the EV3 that it’s a scaled-down version of the EV9 because of its two-box design. Just like other Kia SUVs, the front fascia of the EV3 also boasts an iconic tiger-nose design and star map LED lightning platform. The front bumper is a smooth panel along with chunky body cladding to give the vehicle a muscular stance.

The side profile of the Kia EV3 gets flared wheel arches, thick body cladding and trapezoidal creases on the fenders, alongside the flush door handles, and a large glass area with a wraparound design at the C-pillar. All these design elements make the car look sleek from every angle. 

The rear end of the vehicle gets vertically mounted angular taillamps, which are connected to the wraparound glass panel and also extend in the horizontal direction. This SUV features a floating roofline, combining the rear spoiler, making the car more aerodynamic. The Kia EV3 is 4300mm long, 1850mm wide, 1560mm tall, and has a wheelbase of 2680mm.

Kia EV3: Interior Design

The interior layout of EV3 is very similar to the EV9, the vehicle has twin 12.3-inch floating displays. There are AC vents, an HVAC control panel, and more physical buttons for navigation and media controls below the infotainment unit. Due to the curved connected layout of the displays, the EV3 has a 30-inch widescreen setup which includes a 5-inch screen for climate control, borrowed from the Kia EV9.

Since the EV3 is a born electric SUV (all thanks to the E-GMP modular architecture), it gets a flat floor, resulting in better interior space. The car gets a floating centre console, which doubles as a large storage tray and cupholders and a front centre armrest has a retractable table. The driver seat features a ‘relaxation mode’ where the driver can relax while charging the car.

Following the tradition, the EV3 also has eco-friendly materials. The upholstery has been made using recycled PET bottles, bio waste has been used in paint, and the dashboard and exterior body cladding have been made using the older Kia cars' recycled materials.

Other noteworthy features of the bike include a 12-inch heads-up display, ambient lighting, a Harman Kardon sound system and ADAS. The EV3 is also the first Kia EV to get a personal AI assistant, which will be rolled out on other Kia EVs soon. It has a 460-litre boot space and a 25-litre frunk storage.

Kia EV3: Performance and Expected Launch Date

The vehicle is being offered with two different battery sizes 58.3kWh standard model and an 81.4kWh Long-Range model. Both models have a front-axle mounted single electric motor which churns out 201hp and 283 Nm of torque. The brand claims a 0-100 kph timing of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 170 km/hr.

The Long-Range variant offers a range of up to 600 km on the WLTP cycle. The car is built on 400V architecture allowing a 10 to 80 per cent charge in just 31 minutes. The EV3 also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities and paddle shifters to control the regenerative braking.

Kia is planning to officially launch the EV3 in its homeland in South Korea by June 2024, and they will introduce it to the European market in late 2024. In parallel, this Korean EV will come to other Asian markets in early 2025, followed by the India launch.