Kia has unveiled several concept models during the Kia EV Day event in Seoul today which has provided a glimpse at the brand’s future releases. One of them is the Kia Concept EV3 which represents the brand’s next-generation all-electric compact SUV.
Among the main objectives behind this concept model is to deliver a compact SUV that is “practical and joyful to drive” according to the Korean automotive giant. The company didn’t hide the fact that among the main inspirations of the Concept EV3 is its much larger sibling, the EV9.
In general, the team at Kia is trying to bring the technology and design from the EV9 SUV down to a more compact size. Hence, you can spot plenty of EV9’s design elements on the Concept EV3 such as the boxy wheel arches, long sloping roofline, and slightly muscular silhouette.
However, the company did not reveal any technical details behind the Concept EV3. This means its performance, battery, and range are still unknown for the time being but rest assured, the production version will still be built using Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).
While the direction behind the exterior of Concept EV3 is rather clear, Kia is more experimental when it comes to the car’s interior. For one, the brand’s Color, Materials, Finish (CMF) team utilises fibre weave to help deliver lighter and slimmer seat designs.
In line with the brand’s sustainability efforts, the team also uses a technology called 3D Knit to come out with seat covers that have reduced stitching. In addition to that, the CMF team has also built the vehicle’s console table from mycelium, which was derived from mushroom roots.
Kia also didn’t forget to highlight the car’s folding bench-type rear seat that would open more space for the vehicle to carry large items. The brand is currently toying with the idea of having a Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) outlet within this area, so that users can charge products such as an electric bicycle while on the move.
The Korean giant is also looking to integrate generative AI assistant into the production version of the EV3. Users can use it to obtain services such as schedule management, route optimisation, travel planning, entertainment, and emergency support.
Meanwhile, we don’t have to wait long to see this concept vehicle to be turned into a production model. This is because Kia is planning to release the finalised version of the EV3 in 2024 with a price tag that could start from USD35,000 (~RM164,868).
Since 2024 is still some time away, it remains to be seen whether that starting price tag will remain relevant once the production unit makes its way here. Nevertheless, we certainly hope the new EV3 will be made available in Malaysia at a much lower price tag than the Kia Niro EV.
