US pricing TBD

Kia’s EV strategy: Smaller, cheaper cars like the EV3 hatch and EV4 sedan

Smaller EVs will use 400 V powertrains to save money.

Kristin Shaw – Feb 27, 2025 8:00 AM | 208

Not all of these electric Kias will come to the US, but some will. Credit: Kristin Shaw

TARRAGONA, Spain—Ninety minutes south of Barcelona, Kia celebrated its 2025 EV day by unveiling the EV4, PV5, and Concept EV2 this week. While we knew the Kia EV4 was coming, first unveiled as a concept at the brand's EV Day Korea two years ago, the automaker just now confirmed that the all-electric sedan will be sold in the US. While Kia will make both traditional and hatchback body styles of the EV4, only the former is coming our way.

As Kia's first electrified sedan, the EV4 has a tall order to fill as sedans wane in the North American market. All the brands in the Hyundai Motor Group have signaled a commitment to the four-door family car; Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia now all offer all-electric sedans. With a low center of gravity, lighter-weight bodies than their SUV cousins, and solid aerodynamics, sedans appear to be far from dead at Kia.

The super-compact EV2 concept has a lot going for it: city dimensions, coach doors, and high-tech seats. However, the EV2 is not headed to America, at least for now. The same goes for the modular PV5, which is part of Kia's PBV (platform beyond vehicle) platform. Kia boss Ho Sung Song offered some hints that this could change in the future.

A Kia EV2 on display — The diminutive EV2. Credit: Kristin Shaw

Keeping an eye on potential tariffs

Song was appointed president and CEO of Kia Motors in 2020 and was designated as the spear point for Kia's Plan S electrification and mobility strategy. He's also impressively well-versed on sales numbers, the company's new technology, and differing challenges in various regions around the world. The company has been focused on its shift toward electric and autonomous vehicles from internal combustion engine vehicles; in the US alone, the automaker currently offers 10 hybrid and battery-electric vehicles in the lineup, with more to come.

Still, Song remains open to pivoting depending on customer demand. Asked about how Kia will respond to tariffs from the Trump administration, the CEO projected temperance.

"Our priority is our customers," Song told EV Day attendees. "It's too early to say how tariffs might affect our business. Once we have the final settlement of the tariff, then we'll take another look at our strategy."

In September, Kia officially opened its Gwangmyeong EVO Plant, the Hyundai Motor Group's first dedicated EV plant. Kia says the South Korea facility can produce up to 150,000 units annually and is hosting lines for the EV3, PV5, and EV4. As such, production can pivot depending on demand, which gives the automaker flexibility in what Song calls a "complicated new world."

Kia plans to fill a wide range of niches with these new EVs. Credit: Kristin Shaw

Kia's new EV lineup is built with 400 V architecture, a change from the 800 V technology used in the EV6 and EV9. That explains the slightly slower charging time, estimated to be around 30 minutes to get from 10 percent to 80 percent. Volvo's EX30 charges 5 percent faster than the EV3, Kia admits, but Song waved off any concern.

"We're moving toward practical, affordable cars versus faster charging," Song said in Spain. "Our new cars have 400 V technology to save money on the overall cost. And besides, most owners charge from home anyway."

A quick spin in the EV3

The EV3 will come to America later this year, and I had a chance to test-drive the European spec of the EV on twisty roads and fast-paced highways between Barcelona and Tarragona. Boasting the best range among Kia's EV models at its top level, the EV3 gets 270 miles (436 km) for the standard range and 375 miles (605 km) for the long-range variant. It's a pleasant ride. Regardless of range, the EV3 squeezes 204 horsepower from its electric motor and offers the same interior dimensions as the Kia Sportage.

I liked the EV3's climate control toggle switches, an improvement from the dual-purpose setup that alternates between climate and audio controls in some Kia models. It's roomier inside than it looks from the outside, so it fits into parking spaces easily and still offers enough leg- and headroom in the back for a six-foot-tall-plus adult. In the EV3, the brand improved its one-pedal driving function from previous EV models; the EV3 can come to a full stop in forward or reverse. Its 12.3-inch head-up display is clear and informative, and I found that especially useful while navigating an unfamiliar city.

The EV3 is the brand's first model to include Kia CarPay, which could be used to pay for parking, for instance. It's also the first Kia model to include an AI assistant with ChatGPT to broaden its in-car suggestions via voice. Inside, the EV3 uses several kinds of recycled plastics, including collected materials through its Ocean Cleanup project. These comprise 40 percent of the EV3's trunk liner, a nod to Kia's planned expansion of sustainable materials.

Kia says the EV3 is estimated to start at 36,000 euros (about $37,800), between the EV2 and the EV4. All three will be offered for under 40,000 euros ($42,000), an attractive price point at a time when EV adoption is plateauing. There's no word yet on how that translates to US prices.

Kia’s all-electric modular van, the PV5

Another interesting development for Kia is the upcoming Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup, which starts with the PV5. Four variants of Kia's modular electric van are in the plan, including cargo, passenger, crew, and wheelchair access vehicle (WAV) options. While Kia won't say if the PV5 will be sold in the US, the WAV version has the most potential, with smart features designed to expand mobility for all.

Kia is partnering with BraunAbility, an Indiana-based company that makes wheelchair-accessible vans and wheelchair lifts for the PV5 WAV. Also in talks with Kia is German van conversion company Westfalia, and Song says the company is studying the possibility of marketing the PV5 as a camper van—something it also explored at SEMA last year.

The PV5's quick-use wheelchair ramp, which loads from the passenger side door, can support a load of up to 661 lbs (300 kg). Kia says the side-door access allows wheelchair users and passengers to board through the same entry point onto the sidewalk, which improves safety. And because the ramp is installed at the factory, wheelchair users don't have to send their van to a conversion shop, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Other versions of the PV5 include passenger, cargo, and crew cab configurations. In the past year, Kia spent quite a bit of time with rideshare service Uber and taxi cab firms to better understand the required functionality, like metering. It's a smart strategy, as drivers on the Uber platform go electric six to seven times faster than the general population in the US and Europe, Kia said in January.

Executives said PV5 production is planned to begin in July for Europe and its home market in Korea.

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Keeping an eye on potential tariffs

A quick spin in the EV3

Kia’s all-electric modular van, the PV5

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