World premiere of the Kia EV3 – Compact electric car drives 600 kilometers

Kia is bringing the extravagance of its previous electric range to the compact class. There are, however, compromises in terms of technology, and ultra-fast charging is no longer available. Nevertheless, it is worth taking a look at the Korean car.

The Kia strategists would probably roll their eyes at the question: Why doesn't the new electric compact Kia have an 800-volt electrical system? Wouldn't that be a game changer for electromobility? Being able to charge fairly quickly is also something that potential electric car buyers with a manageable budget dream of.

Or maybe not? Kia says no, in any case. According to this, most drivers in this country wouldn't drive very far anyway. Yes, that's true. But psychologically, Kia is giving us a setback. The EV3 will chug along at a maximum of 128 kW or 102 kW (with a smaller battery). Of course, it depends on the charging curve, but for now the new Korean is being presented in a static form. So it will be quite a while before the first tests.

And what the viewer sees here in the studio for the first time blows away all concerns about the charging issue like a violent storm. Because the 4.30 meter long compact (wheelbase: 2.68 meters) looks really cool. Perhaps too cool for conservative tastes. But the conservative clientele seems to leave Kia to other brands. Stylish edges dominate here, round is a thing of the past. And so the crossover, which is now a front-wheel drive, also looks a bit like a trekking vehicle. This is underlined not least by the wheel arches in shirt-sleeve black. In addition, its vertically arranged headlights not only match the geometric shape of the sheet metal, but also show a relationship to the large SUV EV9, of which the EV3 is basically a miniature version.

Large display from EV9 moves into the small EV3

And inside? A first test sit and inspection of the surfaces suggests recycled materials, which the press release confirms. Otherwise, infotainment fans will get their money's worth with the huge double screen (30 inches) – also known from the EV6 and EV9. User-friendly: To make adjustments to the climate control, the passenger does not have to delve into the depths of the menu; the interface designers have cleared a corner of the monitor for them that remains permanently. It is located exactly in the middle of the two surfaces, the left of which shows the instrument cluster with range and speed. On the right side there is a lot of menu as well as, for example, the road map.

Anyone who still has a spark of conservatism left in them will also be delighted. With physical buttons. These can be found on the inside of the doors. The exhibition vehicle already reveals which features will be available. These include a heated steering wheel and ventilated seats. And other electric-specific features are also intended to make the EV3 fit for the future. The Korean offers a vehicle-to-grid function. This means that it can serve as a buffer for the power grid to allow energy suppliers to better balance out power fluctuations in the grid. But this is not yet possible everywhere anyway.

EV3 initially starts with 204 hp

Let's talk about the drive. Spoilt for choice? So far, none at all, currently only 204 hp are being communicated. An all-wheel drive is to follow. It is difficult to imagine that it will remain at a single power level. In any case, the compact car accelerates quickly enough from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds. There is also the option of choosing between a good 58 and just over 81 kWh of power storage. With the latter, the EV3 should be able to travel around 600 kilometers according to the WLTP. To increase efficiency, the front bumper houses active air flaps to optimize the range via the cooling performance that can be adjusted at short notice. The famous 80 percent charge should take around 30 minutes, which is also fine.

Finally, would you like a few treats for grown-up children? The EV3 can also be opened and closed using a smartphone, provided you download the corresponding app. To bridge the charging time, you can also play games and stream videos on the large display. The engineers also integrated ChatGPT into the voice control system. It is practical that the center armrest can also function as a small pull-out table – whatever you want to use it for. It will be interesting to see whether Kia will be able to offer the EV3 at an attractive price, for example thanks to cheaper lithium iron phosphate battery technology. The company will probably not keep this information a secret for too long. After all, there are already a number of brand-savvy people who feel that the Niro does not offer enough and the EV6 is too expensive to order.