A Kia Stinger Electric successor could follow the EV9 & EV4 [Update]

Update: ‘On the gas-powered Kia Stinger’s discontinuation’ section updated.

Kia’s initial bespoke EV offensive will be all about SUVs. The company launched the EV6 in 2021 and has two new dedicated SUVs lined up for launch, namely the Kia EV9 and the Kia EV4. And it looks like a low-slung Kia designed as a bespoke EV will follow, one that could be an able successor to the Kia Stinger.

Background

On September 24, 2020, carsales reported that Kia’s Australian arm is uncertain about the future of the Stinger. On June 22, 2021, CarBuzz reported that the Stinger will be present in the future Kia line-up, but it will evolve into an electric coupe.

On August 26, 2022, in an interview with Autohome at the 2022 Chengdu Auto Show, Quan Yiquan, Kia’s marketing boss in China, talked about the company’s future E-GMP-based EVs. He revealed that the future Kia EV models based on the platform will include a ‘GT’ model following two SUVs. There’s a good chance that he was talking about a Kia Stinger electric successor, which has a well-established grand touring ethos.

In 2024, an intelligent full-size SUV (EV9) will be launched (in China — global launch scheduled in 2023), equipped with the most advanced L3-level ADAS system, and the longest cruising range can reach 700 kilometers. In addition, we will launch two SUVs and one GT model to further enrich Kia’s pure electric product matrix and bring more diversified choices to Chinese consumers.

Quan Yiquan, Kia’s marketing head in China, to Autohome, on the sidelines of the 2022 Chengdu International Auto Show (translated)

The Kia Stinger may have significantly changed the way customers perceive the brand, but it isn’t contributing positively to the balance sheet. In 2021, Kia sold just 17,007 units of the Stinger in South Korea and 18,560 units in overseas markets. Most of the AutoLand Gwangmyeong (South Korea)-made four-door coupes shipped overseas, 13,517 units to be precise, are on American roads. Those are grim numbers when you compare them with the sales performance of its contemporary, the K5/Optima. Kia sold 92,342 units of the traditional mid-size sedans in the U.S. in 2021. Kia would be hoping for a reversal of fortunes with the all-electric version.

Specifications & Features

With a dual-motor powertrain generating 576 hp and 546 lb.-ft. of torque, the Kia EV6 GT can accomplish a 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds and attain a top speed of 161 mph. There’s no doubt that the Kia Stinger electric successor in its GT variant would set a new benchmark for Kia EVs, with specs that could challenge the Mercedes EQE, Audi E6, and the BMW i5.

The Stinger electric successor could have a multi-charging system that supports 400V and 800V DC charging, allowing customers to use 50-350 kW DC chargers. Charging from 10 to 80% could take less than 18 minutes. Expect the Plug and Charge (PnC) function and the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality also to be among the highlights of the new electric four-door coupe on the charging front. While these could be standard convenience features, the optional convenience features may include Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) that allows Level 3 autonomous driving without driver input on highway sections.

eM or E-GMP platform?

Instead of the E-GMP, Kia may utilize HMG’s upcoming Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA) for the Stinger electric successor. IMA will be an evolution E-GMP, and it will standardize not only a chassis but also a battery system and motor. The new architecture will allow leveraging cell-to-pack technology, leading to increased energy density and reduced charging time.

There will be two versions of IMA: eM and eS. The eM platform will be for passenger models and the eS platform will be for Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs). The former will provide a 50% improvement in driving range over current EVs, HMG said in an announcement on October 12, 2022. HMG plans to commercialize the eM platform in 2025. Either way, expect around 300 miles of range.

Release Date

If Kia plans to utilize E-GMP for the Stinger electric, it may release the model in 2024. But if it opts for the more advanced eM platform, 2026 could be the year of launch. The base price could fall around USD 50,000.

On the gas-powered Kia Stinger’s discontinuation

On December 21, 2022, Kia announced that it will end production of the four-door sports sedan, with the launch of its final chapter – aptly titled ‘Stinger Tribute Edition’. While only 1,000 of these cars will be built for the entire world, the company has assured that the spirit of the Stinger will live on in its future range of cars such as the EV6 GT. The news comes as no surprise since Kia has been wanting to free up space at its AutoLand Gwangmyeong plant, where production of the EV9 SUV is expected to start in April 2023.

TopElectricSUV says

The Stinger is regarded for its excellent price-to-performance ratio and segment-leading warranty in the U.S. The value-for-money performance coupe is not a significant contributor to Kia’s sales. However, it does seem to have changed the way customers think about the brand’s design and engineering expertise. If the Stinger EV is a step up from the EV6 with better features and specs, it might even tempt customers of the BMW i4!

Kia Stinger electric successor FAQs

Featured Image Source: Kia