Update: ‘Interior’ and ‘Release Date’ updated, and ‘Kia EV4 Hatchback also planned’ added.
Kia plans to expand its EV line-up to 15 models by 2027. Most of these electric vehicles will be SUVs, though at least three are expected to be low-roof models, including two sedans. The first of Kia’s future electric sedan models is to be launched as the Kia EV4 in 2025. Here are the details:
Design
The Kia EV4 will have different proportions as compared to gas-powered Kia sedans. Kia presented its electric sedan as a concept at the Kia EV Day, held in South Korea on October 12, 2023. Based on the concept, we’ve constructed the production model with realistic elements.
The production EV4 is expected to feature a strong, muscular appearance, with a robust hood and a curvy nose. Kia designers have adopted unique LED signatures (Star Map Lighting) for every EVx product, with a vertical arrangement for the sedan. The softly sloping roofline will meet a raked D-pillar to create a sporty greenhouse.
The sedan will have ample ground clearance, and the production car is expected to have an aero-optimized wheel option. Overall, its sleek low nose and long-tail silhouette will give it a distinct look, different from today’s three-box designs.
Interior
Based on a bespoke EV platform, the Kia EV4 will have a flat floor that increases storage space in the front of the cabin and passenger space in the back. We expect it to feature an upscale interior with a light color scheme, multi-color mood lighting, a sleek dashboard, and a floating center console.
Spy pictures have shown the Kia EV4 having a dashboard quite similar to the Kia EV3. The upcoming car features a near-30-inch widescreen display, including a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 5-inch air-conditioner panel, and a 12.3-inch infotainment display, paired to look like one seamless ultra-wide panel behind the steering wheel. A 12-inch Head-Up Display is expected to be an option.
The ccNC infotainment system is expected to include Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto compatibility, and OTA software update support. The sound system is expected to be a premium Harman Kardon unit.
The EV3’s push-buttons and a knurled scroller in the dashboard for core functions of the infotainment system will also be seen in the EV4. While the steering wheel is a different, two-spoke unit, it appears to have similar physical controls. Even the central AC vents in the dashboard don’t look any different from the crossover sibling.
Another highlight of the EV4 would be the Digital Key 2.0, which offers vehicle access through the user’s smartphone or smartwatch, making the vehicle shareable with friends and family.
Specifications
The new Kia electric sedan will ride on the Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which is a born-electric architecture. The EV4 will use a front-wheel drive layout of the E-GMP, which was introduced in the EV5, and is shared with the EV3. We’re expecting a small frunk of around 20 liters (0.71 cu.ft.), with a boot capacity of around 350 liters (12.36 cu.ft.).
Standard Range & Long Range models
The EV4 is expected to be launched in Standard Range and Long Range variants, equipped with 58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh batteries, respectively. Both models are expected to be powered by a 150 kW/283 Nm (201 hp/ 209 lb-ft) electric motor, with i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking technology offering one-pedal driving. The top-spec EV4 GT-Line model is expected to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 6-7 seconds, with a top speed of 106 mph.
We think 300+ miles of EPA-est. range should be easily achievable in the long-range variant. We expect the Kia electric sedan to feature ultra-fast charging (0-80% battery charging in 31 mins), Plug & Charge support, and bidirectional charging.
Kia EV4 GT
We expect a Kia EV4 GT to debut around a year after the EV4’s launch, catering to driving enthusiasts with a beefier dual-motor setup and customized vehicle settings.
Release date
The EV4 will be manufactured at the Kia Autoland Gwangmyeong Plant 2, the first Hyundai Motor Group plant to be converted to an electric vehicle-only factory, starting in March 2025, ETNews reported on August 6, 2024. Kia plans to build 70,000 units of the EV4 annually, it added.
At the Kia CEO Investor Day on April 5, 2024, Ho Sung Song, Kia’s President & CEO, confirmed that there won’t be any other EV launches except the EV3 this year. It is clear that the EV4 is a key model reserved for 2025.
Beginning with the launch of EV3 this year, additional models such as EV2, EV4, and EV5 will be introduced in major markets, for a total of 6 mass-market models.
Ho-sung Song, President & CEO of Kia, at the 2024 CEO Investor Day, on April 5, 2024
There’s no word on the U.S. launch of the Kia EV4, but we think it could unfold by the second half of 2025. Kia will likely ensure the electric sedan stays accessible for it to sell in reasonable volumes. We’re expecting the price to fall between USD 35,000-45,000, tucking in beneath the EV6.
Kia EV4 Hatchback also planned
A Kia EV4 Hatchback is also in the making, spy shots have revealed, and it would compete with models like the VW ID.3 and Renault Megane E-Tech. The compact hatchback’s design would be similar to the Kia EV4 sedan, featuring vertical headlights and tail lights, a closed-off nose section, flush door handles, and geometric wheels in a triangular design.
It would have a marginally lower price and thus relatively more accessible. Kia may launch the EV4 Hatchback a few months after the sedan, sometime in the middle of 2025. ETNews said in its August 2024 report that Kia is also considering an Europe-exclusive version of the EV4, to be made at Kia’s Slovakia Plant, which could refer to the hatch.
TopElectricSUV says
The Kia EV4 shows potential to be a solid option for young buyers and small families on the market for a stylish and technologically advanced three-box design at an affordable price point. It certainly can appeal to the segment and to customers who are bored of SUVs. Kia could configure it as one of the most energy-efficient electric cars in the U.S. market, potentially surpassing the Hyundai Ioniq 6 in this respect.
Also See: First Look Review: The 2024 Kia Niro EV is a smaller EV6
Featured image: TopElectricSUV’s exclusive rendering of the Kia EV4.
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
