Rival of the Renault 5 E-Tech, the electric Kia for less than 25,000 euros is indiscreet

In recent months, we have seen a significant drop in sales of electric cars in Europe. The causes are multiple, but prices still too high remain the main reason for this disenchantment. And this while the ecological bonus has been abolished in Germany and reduced in France.

For many motorists, this engine still remains too expensive. But this is however changing, even if the average price still tends to rise for certain manufacturers. In addition to the fall in lithium prices, many brands are entering the more affordable car marketless than 25,000 euros. We obviously think of the Renault 5 E-Tech, which amazed us during our test, or the Citroën ë-C3.

A new affordable model coming

That’s not all: other manufacturers also want to enter this segment, such as Volkswagen with its ID.2, as well as Fiat with its Grande Panda that we were able to discover. This is also the case for Korean brands, including Hyundai with its Inster. Kia also wants to have the right to its share of the pie. After lifting the veil during the Paris Motor Show on its EV3, the Seoul-based firm is preparing to launch another even smaller model, called EV2.

The latter is currently under development and was recently seen during road tests by journalists from the English site Autocar. The opportunity to learn a little more about this small electric SUV, which should later be followed by an EV1 for less than 20,000 euros as the manufacturer announced. In terms of design, the EV2 should draw its inspiration from the lines of the EV9 covering the catalog, with particularly angular features. Dimensions have not yet been confirmed, but they should remain very compact.

The driving position also remains a mysterybut there is no doubt that it should also be closer to what the Korean manufacturer offers for the rest of its range. Thus, we should notably find at least a digital instrument cluster and a touch screen, which will logically be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Of course, habitability should be quite minimal due to its size, but its cubic silhouette suggests rather decent headroom.

A model designed for Europe

For the moment, no information has been communicated on the technical sheet of this future Kia EV2, which should notably rely on LFP (lithium – iron – phosphate) batteries, less expensive than NMC (nickel – manganese – cobalt) chemistry ). We should undoubtedly find characteristics similar to those of the Hyundai Inster, which is entitled to two capacities, namely 42 and 47 kWh. This gives a range of between 327 and 370 kilometers depending on the WLTP cycle. Two powers would also be available, 97 and 115 horsepower.

Data that should be shared with Kia’s small SUV, which would be based on the eK platform developed by the Korean group. It is also rumored that a sportier version of the EV2 would be planned, but for the moment, no information has yet been given on this subject. We should logically expect increased power, but also adjustments to make the chassis sharper. A bit like the Alpine A290 with the Renault 5 E-Tech? No doubt, but this still remains to be confirmed.

Designed for the European market, the Kia EV2 will be produced in Slovakiawhich will allow it to be eligible for the ecological bonus, which will increase to 3,000 euros next year in France. The first deliveries should start from 2026for a starting price below 25,000 euros. At the same time, the manufacturer continues to work on the development of its range and is also preparing the arrival of its EV4, which this time will take the form of a sedan rivaling the Tesla Model 3.