Kia presented the prototypes of two new electric models, the EV3 and EV4, a crossover and a saloon, during the EV Day event, the brand’s annual meeting that serves to show the work the South Korean manufacturer is doing towards electric mobility.
The EV3 is an electric crossover that is due to hit the market in 2024 and uses the well-known E-GMP platform to come in various configurations and with various types of battery capacity and motors.
With a similar look to the EV9, this concept, which the South Korean brand says is already very close to the production version, has its own interpretation of the well-known “Tiger’s Face” front, including renewed LED headlights, as well as chunky lines, and a windscreen that has been pushed forward and is practically vertical to help maximize interior space.
Although the exterior is very close to production, the cabin is the example of a concept, with plenty of space, functionality, sustainability and a minimalist design.
In this sense, the Kia Ev3 has a large horizontal screen that brings together the instrument panel on the left and the infotainment system on the right. The steering wheel, meanwhile, has an unusual, almost oval shape and features the Kia logo on the right.
Between the two front seats is a table-shaped center console, which according to the South Korean brand can be adjusted in four positions to optimize its use. This center console is lined with mycelium, i.e. the vegetative part that grows from the cultivated roots of mushrooms and which, when treated in a certain way, has leather-like qualities.
In addition, the seats are made with natural fiber structures instead of carbon, and the rear seat bases can be folded completely vertically to create a rear cargo area, which, according to Kia, is suitable for transporting an e-bike or e-scooter.
The EV4 concept, on the other hand, previews what Kia says will be a bold 100% electric saloon, which is only expected to hit the market in 2026 and is intended to be the brand’s “symbol of innovation”.
Marked by a front section that features a steeply sloping hood, this prototype comes with its own interpretation of the “Tiger Face” front, with vertical headlights that have been pushed to the edges.
With a muscular profile, the EV4 features a rear section marked by a small spoiler mounted at the end of the roof that helps to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, the most important thing for a 100% electric saloon.
As with the EV3, the cabin also makes use of sustainable materials and focuses on space and light, with a buttonless dashboard and an air conditioning control system that can be retracted into the center console.
The interior is also finished in recycled cotton dyed with plant roots and walnut shells. The center console table, meanwhile, is made from hemp fibers, which Kia claims can be grown sustainably and is highly moldable.
The South Korean brand has not revealed any technical details about the EV4 concept, but it is likely to use the same E-GMP platform as the EV3, which will allow the use of one or two electric motors, as well as batteries of various capacities.
The presentation of the EV3 and EV4 concepts is another step in the brand’s strategy announced in 2022 of accelerating electrification and achieving annual sales of 1.2 million battery electric vehicles by the end of the decade, as well as reaching four million annual car sales, including more than two million ecological models, expanding the application of connected car functionality and autonomous driving technologies to all its new models and becoming the world’s number one brand in special-purpose vehicles.
