Not too long after unveiling the design of the production Kia EV9, the South Korean carmaker is introducing another fully electric SUV that’s called the EV5. Ahead of the release, Kia unveiled its Concept EV5 at a Kia Chinese EV Day event, and the production model will be released later this year with China as the first market.
In terms of design, the Concept EV5 looks like a compact version of the Kia EV9 and it shares a similar boxy SUV styling paired with a funky wheel design. Over at the rear, it gets an inverted L-shaped light bar which looks somewhat inspired by the rear lamps of the Polestar 2. Based on the overall shape, the EV5 could be Kia’s direct answer to other 5-seater SUVs such as the Volvo XC40, C40 and Polestar 3.
According to Kia, the new all-electric SUV is said to be inspired by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy. The Concept EV5 is said to herald a new design era for Kia and it provides a glimpse into the aesthetic direction of the brand’s future EVs.
Kia’s Executive Vice President and Head of Global Design Centre Karim Habib said, “The Kia Concept EV5 takes influence from the contrast and complementarity of natural landscapes and man-made architecture. It is designed to inspire our customers on every journey while providing sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions. Created for those who seek inventive new ideas, the SUV brings together emotional form language with innovative, user-focused interior architecture.”
On the inside, the Concept EV5 also features a completely flat floor and generous space which is typically achieved with a dedicated EV platform. The centre dash features a single wide panoramic display and there’s also a floating centre console. The concept vehicle also features swivelling seats for both front and rear passengers and it also boasts a full-length panoramic sunroof which claims to double as a solar panel.
Like most sustainability-focused EVs, Kia has also used various vegan-friendly and plant-based materials such as seaweed extract and upcycled PET bottles for the seat, doors, dashboard and headliner. At the moment, Kia has not provided any technical details but we reckon that the EV5 would likely be based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform which uses an 800V electrical architecture.
The larger Kia EV9 will be making its global debut on 29th March.
