Kia has just unveiled the Kia EV3 to the world. It is a compact EV SUV with technology transferred from the EV9. Upon its debut, there is a “Standard” and “Long Range” version of the EV3 with a claimed range of up to 600 km for the “Long Range” variant.
To give you a sense of its size, the Kia EV3 is about the size of the Smart #1 with an exact overall length of 4,300 mm. It is slightly wider than the Smart #1 at 1,850mm and slightly taller at 1,560 mm. As for its wheelbase, the EV3’s wheelbase is shorter than the Smart #1’s at 2,680 mm long. It finally looks like there will be a contender in the compact EV SUV segment for both the Smart #1 and Volvo EX30.
The design of the Kia EV3 is in sync with the EV9 and EV5. As expected it adopts the usual “opposites united” design philosophy. Kia says that the Ev3 presents a new interpretation of the Kia “Tiger Face”. And as for the platform that the EV3 is built on, it is the E-GMP front wheel drive (FWD) platform.
Speaking of FWD, the Kia EV3 only has one powertrain option which is a single-motor FWD setup. It is able to churn out 204 hp (metric) and 283 Nm at maximum, allowing for a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 7.5 seconds (pretty average for a single-motor EV). As for its top speed, the EV3 can do 170 km/h at maximum which is likely an electronically-limited top speed.
A Kia-first feature on the EV3 is the i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking which allows the driver to adjust the regenerative braking to their preference. This supposedly makes for a more pleasant one-pedal driving experience.
RELATED: Kia Concept EV3 unveiled: HR-V sized electric car with EV9 styling
As for the battery, there are two battery sizes for the EV3 for its two variants, and the 4th-gen Kia battery technology is applied. The Standard variant gets a 58.3 kWh battery while the Long Range variant gets an 81.4 kWh battery pack. Kia has only announced an estimated WLTP range for the Long Range variant which is 600 km.
Charging details are also scarce as only a rough DC charging time and a V2L capability have been shared. The EV3 can supposedly be charged from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes. Kia also claims that the EV3 is the first in its class to offer V2L functionality.
Inside, the Kia EV3 tries its best to stay as true as possible to the Kia Concept EV3 which was unveiled back in October 2023. Things such as the hexagonal steering wheel, the bulky door armrests, the hexagonal screen holder, and the minimalistic foot pedals have been swapped out for more production-rational designs.
Some of the clever stuff previewed in the Kia Concept EV3 remain, like the centre console with a sliding table and the large lower storage under the centre console (which can fit a backpack). One good thing about the EV3’s cabin is that physical buttons are still present to give you tactile feedback.
As for the screens, a novel thing in the Kia EV3 is a three-screen setup in the floating unit. There is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch head unit, and a 5-inch HVAC control screen sandwiched in the middle. Kia says that the EV3 is its first EV model to get the Kia AI Assistant Technology, which first debuted in the Kia K4.
In the safety department, the Kia EV3’s ADAS suite includes Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control (eDTVC). Other items are Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Highway Driving Assist, and Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist.
Would you take the Kia EV3 over the Smart #1?
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