“Is it in the 30 million won range?” Expectations for Kia’s compact electric SUV ‘EV3’ also appear. Should it replace the Soul EV?

[M Today Reporter Choi Tae-in] As Kia prepares to announce its future EV vision through the 2023 ‘EV Day’, a new ‘EV3’ forecast has emerged, attracting attention.

The EV3 forecast published by Motor One, an overseas automobile media outlet, was produced based on a recently captured camouflage test car. The design language that started with the flagship electric SUV EV9 was applied in the same way, and some design elements of the previously revealed EV5 are also noticeable.

The Kia EV3 is a compact electric SUV the size of the Niro EV or Soul EV, and there is speculation that it will be the successor to the Soul EV.

Looking at the projections, the overall design is bold and emphasizes straight lines, making it look like a ‘Baby EV9’ only reduced in size.

The front clearly shows Kia’s family look through the signature star map lighting daytime running lights (DRL) and vertically arranged cube-shaped full LED lamps. Black garnish on the top and the KTA emblem on the bonnet were applied.

The front bumper emphasizes details with a large hexagonal honeycomb-shaped air intake, glossy black finish, and body color garnish. The lower part has cladding and a silver front lip with an integrated design, giving it an urban SUV feel.

The side part has boxy styling, giving it a sturdy appearance despite the small body. In particular, the ‘floating roof’ design was applied by finishing the A-pillar and B-pillar in black, making it look as if the roof is floating. The D-pillar design is also unique, with a unique ‘V’ shaped detail on the upper window line, and the belt line is also raised sharply along the rear spoiler, emphasizing sportiness.

In addition, the character line and pentagonal glossy black fender of the wheel house are similar to the EV9. The door handle is an auto-flush type applied to the first row, and the second row is a hidden type integrated into the D-pillar. The wheel is designed specifically for electric vehicles and boasts a flat yet unique look with a combination of triangular silver strip spokes and glossy black details.

The projected rear part has not been released, but based on previous spy shots, it is expected to have inherited the simple yet futuristic design look of the EV9 and EV5.

The interior also has a unique design similar to the EV5 and appears to have secured the practicality and space utilization unique to electric vehicles despite its small body.

Motor One predicted that the Kia EV3 body would have a total length of 4,064mm to 4,318mm. This corresponds to the B segment in the European market. It is also mentioned that it is being developed based on the next-generation new electric vehicle platform, eM, rather than the current dedicated electric vehicle platform, E-GMP.

The eM platform significantly improves the driving distance compared to the existing E-GMP and supports a driving assistance system equivalent to level 3 autonomous driving. In the case of the eM platform, the driving range on a single charge is expected to be 400 miles (approximately 641 km).

Kia EV3 is expected to be released in the second half of 2024, and is expected to compete with the Jeep Avenger and Mini Aceman.