Kia revealed a few days ago all the details of the Kia EV3, the company's brand new compact electric SUV. With its combination of bold design, innovative technology and ground-breaking features, the EV3 sets new standards that have never been seen before in the compact EV SUV category.
Exterior design: A bold and progressive proposition.
Kia's “Opposites United” design philosophy, which harnesses the creative tension created by the different values of nature and modernity to deliver a harmonious whole, was instrumental in shaping the Kia EV3's progressive, dynamic and impressive design. At the front, vertical headlights positioned at the edges of the clean grille surface help create a wide, highly imposing image. The sense of abundant volume is combined with differentiated graphics and a muscular appearance that harmonizes with the entire body.
A new, rugged version of Kia's iconic Tiger Face design incorporates the brand's latest Star Map lighting logic. Positioned vertically, the Daytime Running Lights (DRL) further accentuate the Tiger Face design to project a particularly confident character.
In profile, the EV3 projects an aura of exceptional power, combined with a strong sense of agility and dynamism. The long, sloping and elegantly-lined roof ends in a hatchback-style rear door, further emphasizing the highly technical design of the body. The dynamic silhouette and the cabin with its size ensure a spacious interior, while the unique volumes and graphics combined with each other emphasize its innovative character even more.
The rear view completes the EV3's new design and dynamic stance. The large, black decorative line that emphasizes the connection between the SUV's robust rear C-pillar design and the dynamic roofline further enhances the car's sense of power. The streamlined, geometric design of the taillights seamlessly integrates with the rear windscreen, framing the futuristic tailgate design with a technical and sleek look inspired by the front's signature Tiger Face Star Map lighting.
As with the larger EV9 SUV, Kia engineers paid attention to every detail to optimize the EV3's performance. It features improved aerodynamics, incorporating an integrated 3D fairing underneath to ensure an impressively low coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0,269.
Interior design: Aesthetics inspired by nature to enhance well-being
Kia's Digital Key 2.0 allows owners to avoid the hassle of carrying physical keys by unlocking and starting the EV3 using just their smartphone or smartwatch. They can also easily share their EV3 digital key with friends and family.
A nearly 30-inch wide screen – which consists of a 12,3-inch instrument panel, a 5,0-inch climate system display and another 12,3-inch AVN display – incorporates seamless touch operation of climate control functions and provides clear graphics and intuitive information in the guide. The screen also extends towards the center of the dashboard, giving the front passenger access to entertainment and navigation functions.
Adding further value to the compact electric SUV segment, the 12-inch Head-up Display (HUD) projects information onto the windshield to minimize driver distraction.
Many of the EV3's functions, such as driving, cruise control, entertainment and navigation, are accessed and controlled with a simple touch of the steering wheel buttons. A row of buttons below the center screen intuitively operate various functions such as the navigation system, media and vehicle system configuration.
Kia provides a variety of streamable content through its Premium Streaming service, which is delivered through LG Web OS. Kia also offers arcade games, allowing passengers to enjoy games inside their car. The immersive experience is further enhanced by the sound quality of the EV3's Harman Kardon sound system, which delivers a home theater-like experience.
With a luggage compartment of 25 liters in the front and a trunk of 460 liters in the back, the EV3 offers the largest luggage space in its class. The two-level adjustable base provides 140mm of luggage height flexibility making it ideal for activities such as family camping trips.
The new Kia EV3 features a state-of-the-art front-wheel drive electric drive system based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), using Kia's 4th generation battery technology. The EV3 Standard version is offered exclusively with a 58,3 kWh battery, while the EV3 Long Range version is equipped with an 81,4 kWh battery. Both have a 150 kW/ 283 Nm electric motor, which ensures an acceleration for 0-100 km /h in just 7,4 seconds. The maximum speed of the EV3 is 170 km/h.
The state-of-the-art technology of the Battery Management Unit (BMU) and the Component Monitoring Unit (CMU) ensures that the high-voltage 58,3 kWh and 81,4 kWh batteries use energy as efficiently as possible.
The EV3 Long Range version offers an estimated range of up to 600 kilometers (WLTP). When the EV3's battery needs recharging, passengers can relax in the comfortable lounge as the EV3's advanced charge management system allows the battery to be charged from 10-80% in approximately 31 minutes.
The EV3's suite of ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) includes eDTVC (Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control) to ensure power is transferred to the road smoothly and consistently. The Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Highway Driving Assist, and Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist systems offer intelligent assistance to drivers on every journey, no matter how short or long. Kia's Remote Smart Parking Assist system allows owners to remotely and safely park their EV3 in tight spaces without the driver being inside the car.
The EV3 is the first model to benefit from Kia's new i-Pedal 3.0 technology, which allows the driver to adjust the level of energy recovery during braking according to their preferences, and at the same time allows driving with a pedal.With the EV3, Kia is the first manufacturer to bring Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality to the compact electric SUV segment, giving passengers the freedom and flexibility to power external devices such as laptops, small refrigerators, coffee makers or hair dryers.
The EV3 is the first electric model to feature Kia's AI Assistant technology, which was recently officially introduced in the Kia K4 compact sedan. This digital assistant, approaching the human element, will support and inspire users at all times
By incorporating creative artificial intelligence, Kia's voice assistant is now even more comprehensive. So creative AI understands complex phrases through natural language understanding, allowing it to naturally converse with users.
The EV3 will initially be introduced in Korea in July 2024, followed by its European launch in the second half of this year. Kia plans to further expand sales of the EV3 in other markets, and further launches are expected after entering Europe.
