Subcompact Kia EV2 electric SUV planned for a late-2025 release

Update: ‘Release Date & Rivals’ section updated.

Following the EV3 in 2024, Kia plans to release a smaller electric SUV that, as we earlier speculated, will be called EV2. The Kia EV2 will roughly be the size of the Hyundai Venue that’s available in the U.S., as well as a few emerging markets, as per a report ET News published on September 13, 2023.

Design

Kia has confirmed that the EV2 will feature a European design, and even though it will be a budget model, it should look quite bold and high-tech. The EV2, which will be smaller than the EV3, will be “very important” for the company’s European operations, President and CEO Ho-sung Song said on October 12, 2023.

According to the ET News report, Kia started planning for the EV2 in 2022, aiming to finalize its design and specifications by the end of 2023. The regional publication says that the company will build a prototype vehicle in 2024. We think Kia might unveil a teaser of the EV2 at the CEO Investor Day in early 2024, followed by road trials in South Korea and Europe towards the end of the year.

Dimensions

The Kia EV2 (codename: Kia QV) will measure 4,000 mm in length, as ET News stated in a different version of that article on Naver on September 15, 2023. This makes it 40 mm shorter than the first-gen Hyundai Venue available in the U.S. Despite the shorter length, its wheelbase will be 35 mm longer and measure 2,555 mm, as per the report. We think Kia’s European customers will see the EV2 as the successor to the Soul EV and also an electric alternative to the Stonic, neither of which is available in the U.S. market.

Platform

Kia will access Hyundai Motor Group (HMG)’s upcoming eS dedicated EV platform for some components of the EV2, as per the report. However, this seems unusual since eS is meant for Purpose Built Vehicles and not for passenger cars. HMG is working on a new dedicated EV platform for passenger vehicles, called ‘eM,’ which it sees spawning the first model in 2025. A possible explanation for this strategy is that using components from the eS toolkit could enable Kia to offer the EV2 at a low price.

Grades & Price

Kia will reportedly introduce a standard-range EV2 variant using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, and a long-range variant equipped with nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery cells. It is expected to price the electric small SUV in Europe from below EUR 30,000, so we understand why it needs the low-cost LFP cells in the basic configuration.

The prices of the Kia EV2 will start below USD 35,000, Song said, although he was referring to the global pricing and wasn’t referring to the car’s U.S. launch.

Production

Production of the Kia EV2 electric SUV will take place at the company’s factory in Žilina, Slovakia. The Slovakian facility, which has an annual production capacity is 350,000 units, is currently home to the Ceed family (Ceed, Ceed Sportwagon, ProCeed, XCeed) and the Euro-spec Sportage. Kia plans to manufacture 80,000 units of the EV2 electric small SUV at the plant, as per the report.

Release Date & Rivals

On October 12, 2023, at Kia’s 2023 CEO Day, Song revealed that the EV2 will be priced at under $35,000. However, although he mentioned the price in USD, it is unlikely that he was talking about a U.S. launch. We think that the EV2’s proposed size and specifications may not meet the expectations of American EV buyers. In Europe, Kia plans to launch the EV2 in the fourth quarter of 2025 (October-December 2025), as per ET News’ report on Naver.

Small crossover/SUV models are less popular in the United States. For instance, Hyundai sold just 28,009 units of the Venue in 2023, just 13% of Tucson’s sales (209,624 units) the same year. However, prospects for Kia’s small SUV are much brighter in the old continent where B- and C-Segment cars dominate the sales chart. The Kia EV2 will compete with the likes of Peugeot e-2008 and the upcoming VW ID.2 SUV.

There’s no plan to release the EV2 in Australia either. On January 25, 2024, citing Kia’s local product chief Roland Rivero, Drive reported that sourcing the EV2 from Slovakia would not be feasible. Rivero mentioned the lack of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Slovakia and logistical challenges as barriers, suggesting that Australia might receive an alternative budget Kia EV at a later stage.

TopElectricSUV says

The Kia EV2 promises to offer one of the roomiest and most functional interiors in its class, coupled with a commendable range suitable for city driving. All of these features are expected to come at a price point that delivers excellent value for money.

Kia EV2 FAQs

Featured Image Source: Generic crossover SUV render, generated with AI, unrelated to the EV2.