EV5 – Kia’s next dedicated BEV, with a GT already confirmed
We’ll start with the EV5 because, without a ‘Concept’ prefix, this upright family SUV is very much the real deal and the third dedicated battery-electric vehicle after the EV6 and EV9. Also riding on the E-GMP platform, the EV5 will be available with either a 64kWh battery as standard or an 88kWh battery in the ‘long-range’ model, with the option of all-wheel-drive too.
The stated 329-mile and 403-mile stated ranges could be ambitious given they’re to China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) standards, but the WLTP figures still ought to be impressive, at least in line with what we’ve seen from the EV6 and Hyundai's EVs so far. Thanks to the E-GMP’s 800-volt architecture, there’s room for strong performance and fast charging too, to the point that, yes, an EV5 GT has been confirmed to be on the way.
Looks-wise, it’s all but a caricature of the flagship EV9, with a reassuring sturdy upright stance, as well as all of the ‘opposites united’ styling cues that make the EV9 – and now the EV5 – so distinctive. Given the EV9 is very much priced like a flagship, it’s reassuring to know those cues will be available further down the range, too.
Moving inside, the EV5 continues to emulate the EV9, with a choice of seats that can recline, massage you and even in the case of the second-row camping seat, fold flat to nine degrees. There’s even food storage in the rear console for warming or cooling. Unfortunately, we don’t think the EV5 is getting the EV9’s clever swivelling seats.
What it does get is a high-quality appointment that majors on sustainability and strong tech, with a crisp expansive driver/infotainment display and the EV9’s under-fabric dash buttons too.
“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,” Cho said of the EV5.
“For us, it is the perfect representation of both our future EV strategy and our commitment to accelerating the worldwide transition to EVs. 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.”