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Kia will finally reveal its long-awaited EV4 saloon as part of its international EV day in Spain next week. Headlining the brand’s big day of new model reveals, the new Kia EV4 will join the range as a direct rival to the Tesla Model 3, offering a distinctive four-door notchback design that represents the brand’s future design language.
The EV4 has already been confirmed to Auto Express by Paul Philpott, president and CEO of Kia UK, who told us to expect it in “the second half of this year” back in January. The zero-emissions model will be built at the firm’s factory in Slovakia, and joined a few months later by a hatchback variant, too. The hatch and saloon will share a larger footprint, and a more low-slung stance than the EV3.
We’ve seen the EV4 testing in both this four-door saloon and its hatchback forms. The latter is likely to be more popular in the UK, with a look inspired by the EV4 concept, as well as the recently facelifted EV6.
With minimal camouflage on the test cars in the latest spy shots we can better see the EV4’s design elements, including the utilisation of Kia’s ‘starlight’ lighting signatures front and rear, plus a complex combination of body creases and funky detailing to complete the package.
No specifications have been revealed, but we expect the Kia EV4 will sit on a simplified version of Kia’s E-GMP architecture already used in Kia’s other bespoke electric car models. The main difference between this new setup and the one under the EV6 is that it’ll run a lower-specification 400V electrical system in place of the larger car’s 800V system, with knock-on effects to things like charging speeds and overall range.
The system supports two different battery sizes – 58.3kWh or 81.4kWh – and in the case of the EV3 is capable of 254- and 374-mile range figures, respectively. The two battery options power a single, front-mounted 204bhp e-motor and reach 62mph in 7.4 and 7.7 seconds for the smaller and larger battery. We expect all of these figures to be close to those of the forthcoming EV4.
The Kia EV3 and 4 should also share their charging capabilities, which are rated at a 102kW peak DC fast charging speed for the smaller battery, and 128kW for the larger. In both cases, they’ll do a 10-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes, with 11kW AC charging expected from launch and 22kW AC charging coming down the line. Like many Kia and Hyundai products, the EV4 should feature vehicle-to-load capability, essentially turning the car into one giant battery pack for running electrical appliances.
Beyond the technical details, the EV4 concept car gives us a good look at what to expect in terms of design. From the front, we expect a nose very close to that of the EV3, but from B-pillar back the body will stretch out into a fastback profile previewed by the concept. This looks to include the unique C-pillar design that wraps its way up and over the roof panel to create two small aerofoils.
To be competitive in this hotly contested part of the market, Kia will need to achieve a starting price of less than £30,000 while still offering the technology, range and charging speeds that buyers demand. Being able to lean heavily on its EV3 underpinnings will help the EV4 in this regard; that car gets a slick twin-screen dashboard and we expect the EV4 to follow suit.
The E-GMP platform will also allow for significant practicality advantages, such as a longer wheelbase and a flat floor in the rear. It should also trump VW and Cupra rivals for boot space – as has long been the case with Kia’s equivalent petrol cars. There is no suggestion that the hatch and saloon will be followed by a EV4 Sportswagon or estate at this stage.
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