Kia says its EV3 model is now available in continental Europe and is also on sale in the UK.
The Kia EV3 is described as a dedicated, high-volume EV for the compact SUV market, with a range of up to 375 miles on a single charge.
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Kia also plans to introduce an all-wheel drive (AWD) variant, expanding the range of choice for customers beyond the current two-wheel drive (2WD) models.
“The Kia EV3 is an amazingly versatile vehicle, built and designed to accommodate the diverse needs and distinctive lifestyles of customers across Europe,” said Marc Hedrich, President & CEO of Kia Europe. “It also shows how a high-volume EV can be part of a broad ecosystem that includes in-car payments, over-the-air updates, bi-directional charging, digital upgrades and much more, to make driving more convenient than ever before.”
Built on Kia’s dedicated EV architecture, the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV3 is part of Kia’s strategy to have 11 electric vehicles on the market by 2026, expanding to 15 models by 2027, with a fully electric product line-up in Europe by 2035.
The 375-mile range of the EV3 goes up to 479 miles when the vehicle is used purely in city driving situations, it is claimed. This is supported by ‘i-Pedal’ technology and a Regenerative Braking System that offers the driver more flexibility and control by separating the level of regenerative braking from the full stopping control function. Kia says full one-pedal driving can be used in all regenerative braking modes, as well as in reverse. The system also remembers the previously selected level when the vehicle is turned off, and automatically applies it when the vehicle is turned on again.
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By GlobalDataKia says 400V fast charging technology enables the EV3 to go from 10-to-80% in 29 minutes for the 58.3 kWh battery version, and 31 minutes for the 81.4 kWh version. Up to 125 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes, it says.
Kia aso says the car comes with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging. This feature enables the car to power external devices and allows customers to maximise the EV3’s accessibility. Every EV3 is also capable of bi-directional charging, including Vehicle-to-Grid, Vehicle-to-Home, and Vehicle-to-Building, which will gradually be introduced across European markets.
Kia also says the EV3 features the ‘world’s first highly efficient and super-compact thin HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system’ that delivers consistent cabin comfort in all weather conditions, maximising comfort, and minimising power usage, without compromising range.
It is claimed the packaged system gives front-seat passengers an extra six centimetres of room in the footwell when compared with a conventional HVAC system. The thermal management system, now in its fourth generation, improves heat pump performance, simultaneously absorbing outside air heat and driving heat (eg from powertrain components).
