Kia Debuts Small Electric SUV With the EV2

Kia presented a new entry-level battery-electric model at the Brussels Motor Show. The Kia EV2 will be manufactured in Europe.

The new Kia EV2 is based on Kia's E-GMP electric platform. No big surprises in terms of design: The B-segment SUV also follows Kia's "Opposites United" design philosophy. The front features vertically aligned daytime running lights in a "Star Map" design. The wheels on the 4.06 m long Kia EV2 are between 16 and 19" in size on the GT-Line version. The wheelbase is 2.56 m. The vertical lights at the rear are relatively small and positioned low compared to other Kia EV models.

In the interior, the dashboard surrounds the driver and front passenger, and the cockpit features a wide panoramic display. It also includes a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and navigation screen. In addition, there is a 5.3-inch touchscreen for climate control. The "Connected Car Navigation Cockpit" (ccNC) is used here in a slimmed-down Lite version that does not require hard disk navigation. Navigation is wireless via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and OTA updates are also possible. Hyundai offers four- or five-seat configurations. In the four-seater, the rear seats are also adjustable. The luggage compartment has a capacity of up to 403 liters in the four-seater and 362 liters in the five-seater. The front trunk offers an additional 15 liters.

Kia EV2 Available with Two Battery Sizes

There are two battery options available for the 400-volt small car's 108 kW (147 hp) drive. The standard battery has a capacity of 42.2 kWh and enables a range of up to 317 km, while the long-range version with a 61.0 kWh battery can travel up to 448 km before needing to be recharged. The large battery can be charged from 10 to 80 % in around 30 minutes at a DC charging station (42.2 kWh battery in 29 minutes). In addition to the 11 kW option, faster 22 kW charging is also available. In addition, the V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) function allows 230-volt devices to be connected, while the V2X hardware preparation (V2H/V2G) enables the vehicle battery to be integrated into the private or public power grid.

Depending on the equipment, the driver assistance systems include Highway Assist 2.0, Forward Collision Warning 2.0, Adaptive Cruise Control 2.0, Active Blind Spot Assist with monitor display, surround view camera, and parking assist. After the EV4 compact car, the EV2 is the second battery-electric model to be manufactured at Kia's European plant in Zilina, Slovakia. Production is scheduled to start in February, but the market launch date has not yet been announced.

This is a partly automated translation of this German article.