Hot on the heels of Kia's announcement that the new seven-seat EV9 will have a starting price in Ireland of €77,000, Kia has confirmed that its new EV5 mid-size electric SUV will be coming to Europe and that it will be aimed directly at family buyers. Hopefully, that means it'll be a bit more affordable than the EV9...
Up to 720km range, with a caveat
As standard, the new EV5 will come with a 64kWh battery pack, which will have a claimed range of up to 530km - although that's according to the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC), which tends to be more optimistic than the WLTP test in Europe. Figure on something closer to 450km here.
There will be a larger battery pack option, with an 88kWh capacity, which on the same Chinese test yields a range of 720km, according to Kia. Again, expect that to fall to around 600km on the WLTP test.
The standard version gets a 160kW (217hp) electric motor driving the front wheels, while the big-battery long-range version keeps the same motor. There will also be a big-battery all-wheel drive model with a 70kW (95hp) motor on the rear axle, which provides a total of 312hp. That all-wheel drive model has a claimed range of up to 650km, but again expect that to change under WLTP conditions.
Heat-pump heating
All versions get a fast-charging capability, and Kia says that you can do a 30-80 per cent charge in around 27 minutes, which means that the EV5 isn't as fast to charge as the larger EV9 or the EV6. There will also be slightly different models for the Korean market, featuring 58kWh and 81kWh battery packs, but it's not clear yet which specific versions are coming to Europe. Regardless, all versions will get a heat-pump heating system and vehicle-to-load charging systems. There will also be a one-pedal 'iPedal' driving system using regenerative braking.
Kia has also confirmed that there will be a sporty GT model of the EV5 in the future.
"The EV market is expanding from one catering to the smaller early-adopter group to a broader mass majority of customers. As a leader in the great EV transition, we have quickly expanded our EV line-up beyond the EV6 and EV9 to include a variety of small- and medium-sized models such as the EV5. Our competitive, growing EV line-up will accelerate the popularisation of electric vehicles and provide consumers with more options from which to choose," Spencer Cho, Head of Global Business Planning Sub-Division, said. "The Kia EV5 is not just the next addition to our rapidly expanding EV line-up, but also the embodiment of how we will accelerate the EV revolution. For us, it is the perfect representation of both our future EV strategy and our commitment to accelerating the worldwide transition to EVs."
Inside, the cabin will look familiar to anyone who's recently sat in a Sportage or an EV6, with a 'panoramic' twin digital displays atop the dashboard - both screens measure 12.3 inches across, and the centre screen features fully connected navigation. There's a small five-inch climate control display too, and thankfully Kia has retained some physical buttons for that three-zone system, although they are much reduced from the 17 separate buttons Kia says would have been needed before. The screens will get updated software, which Kia says means easier-to-navigate menus and on-screen buttons. There will be over-the-air software updates, too, of course.
A double-bed in the back?
The seats get eco-friendly recycled PET fabric and Bio-PU leather coverings, and Kia says that the seating layout is versatile, although sadly, it seems as if the optional front bench seat will only be available in the Chinese market. The centre console armrest does incorporate a table and storage, though.
The rear seats recline and optionally can be equipped with massagers, which Kia says: "enables occupants to choose their individual sweet-spot setting during charging, leaving them feeling fully refreshed when they resume their journey."
There's even a 'bedroom' function, whereby the rear seats can all recline fully flat, turning them into a double bed. There's a rear-mounted refrigerator, too, for storing snacks. Good for slow overnight charges, maybe?
The standard safety kit will include adaptive cruise and lane-keeping, remote parking (via a new smart key), rear cross-traffic alert, and emergency braking.
We'll update you on prices and Irish arrival dates when we have them.