Kia to launch two new EVs in China before year’s end

Kia has unveiled its plans for electric cars in the Chinese market. First, the Kia EV6 will be imported and sold there from August 2023. In November, the EV5 that Kia just unveiled as a concept will follow.

The production version of the EV5 will be built in China – while the EV6 (and probably also the GT version) will be imported from South Korea. Kia hints in its announcement that the EV5 will also be offered globally after its launch in China, saying that more information will be released at a later date.

Kia has not revealed much about the technology of the EV5 Concept only saying that it is to be a purely electric vehicle. That and the “EV” in its name indicate that the car will likely be based on the 800-volt E-GMP platform but this has yet to be confirmed by the carmaker.

What Kia is now revealing is primarily focused on the car’s design – even though the exterior dimensions have not been specified. Visually, the EV5 Concept resembles the angular look of the larger EV9 but is likely to remain well below the five-meter SUV. Considering the number 5 in the model name, the EV5 will likely be even smaller than the 4.68-metre EV6. Due to its steeper rear window and higher body, the car should offer slightly more utility.

The third electric model planned for the Chinese market will launch in 2024. Kia teased the design of the EV9 a few days ago and will fully unveil the EV later this month. It also has 800-volt technology for shorter charging times at the fast charger. However, unlike the EV5 Concept and EV6, the EV9 is a seven-seater.

Kia will also launch an all-electric entry-level SUV in China in 2025, a premium sedan based on a new EV platform in 2026 and a mid-size electric SUV in 2027. Details on these are not yet known. However, the entry-level electric SUV, like the Niro EV, will likely be based on a 400-volt platform.

cnevpost.com, kianewscenter.com (EV5)