Kia’s showcases new EV3 and EV4 concepts alongside production-ready EV5
Both versions use the very latest sustainable materials in their design.
Kia has released a pair of concepts which could point towards future models from the Korean brand.
Things kick off with the EV3, which is a compact model similar in size to the current Soul model. However, its exterior design follows closely that of the larger EV9, with distinctive slim headlights and the latest interpretation of Kia’s ‘Tiger Face’ front end.
Inside, the EV3 concept uses some of the latest sustainable materials, including Mycelium which comes from mushroom roots. Kia says that the use of these materials is still ‘at a very early stage’ but its flexibility means that it can be moulded into all sorts of shapes and designs.
The larger EV4 uses other ‘green’ processes too, including using natural dyes on 100 per cent recycled cotton and hand-woven fabric stripes for the storage area and dashboard. The EV4 also adopts a saloon bodystyle – shunning the wider trend for more SUVs – with a heavily raked bonnet and headlights which are pushed right to the edges of the car. Much like the EV3, the interior has been designed to be as spacious as possible.
The control panel for the air conditioning can also be stored in a hidden compartment to save on space.
Kia has also confirmed the new EV5 SUV for production. It’s the third dedicated electric car to enter the firm’s range, sitting atop its E-GMP platform. Three versions will be available – standard, long-range and long-range with all-wheel-drive. The regular model with a 64kWh battery is expected to deliver up to 320 miles of range, while the larger 88kWh battery model could return up to 447 miles. With the all-wheel-drive version, Kia is targeting a range of up to 403 miles. It’s expected to arrive in the UK in 2025.
