Kia unveils EV5, two electric concept cars, and a new sales target of 1.6 million EVs

South Korea car brand Kia has unveiled its new EV5 electric SUV to the world, along with two other “concept” EVs – including a smaller SUV and its first electric sedan – at the company’s “EV Day”.

At the event, Kia showcased the vision of what it calls “EVs for all” along with an aggressive strategy to increase its EV model lineup. The company’s goal is to have annual sales of one million EVs by 2026 and push that to 1.6 million by the end of 2030.

Kia – the sister brand to Hyundai – already has a presence in the electric SUV space through its highly regarded EV6 and the e-Niro. In recent months, it has been locally showcasing the large 7-seater EV9 SUV.

The newer models unveiled this week are expected to be cheaper than current offerings, priced from $US35,000 to $US50,000, which it says will help accelerate EV adoption in more markets.

“Kia is keenly focused on providing solutions to the concerns that continue to cause hesitation when it comes to making an EV purchase,” Kia’s president and CEO Ho Sung Song said. “We will meet customer expectations by offering a full line-up of EVs at various price points and improve charging infrastructure availability. The acceleration towards electrification begins now.”

The EV5 will initially have a focus on the Chinese and Korean markets. The standard model is offered with a 64 kWh battery pack that feeds a 160 kW motor. This combination will have 530 km of CLTC range.

A long-range model will also be made available with an 88 kWh battery pack that can deliver up to 720 km of CLTC range. These range figures are likely to be scaled down under the WLTP cycle which is traditionally used in Australia.

A dual-motor AWD variant is also on offer which produces 230 kW and has a range estimate of 650 km. This model can also be fast charged from 30 – 80% in 27 minutes.

The Korean market sees two battery options. A 58 kWh and an 81 kWh pack is on offer. According to the brand, the driving range of each model will be specific to meet market demand.

On top of this, a heat pump is also on offer across the range which reveals the brand’s focus on efficiency when it comes to heating and cooling inside the cabin.

Moving to the inside, it will be offered with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen which from the brand’s other products is quite nice to have.

There is also a whole suite of safety features offered on the model which include 7 airbags along with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features. This is likely to assist the EV5 in achieving great safety scores.

The EV5 will feature vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid functionality which would be great for those looking at using the car’s battery to power equipment.

Kia EV5 has been confirmed for the local market with an expected launch next year. More details on pricing and specifications will be available closer to the launch.