2024 Kia EV3 debuts with 600km range

The 2024 Kia EV3 has made its world debut in Korea and the all-new small battery-electric SUV will offer a Kia EV6-busting WLTP driving range of up to 600km – the longest of any Kia electric vehicle – when it arrives here in 2025.

Finer timing and specification details are yet to be announced, but the secret to this surprising feat is the combination of stout proportions, a super-slippery 0.263Cd drag coefficient, the Hyundai-Kia group’s proven e-GMP architecture and a huge-for-the-segment 81.4kWh battery pack.

That large-capacity battery will be one of two offered globally, the other being a smaller (and cheaper) 58.3kWh unit as part of what will be known as the ‘Standard’ powertrain, positioned below the monstrous ‘Long Range’ system.

Both packs will sustain a 150kW/283Nm drive motor – mounted on the front axle and making the EV3 front-wheel drive, at least initially – capable of launching the EV3 from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 170km/h.

Kia executives have confirmed that all-wheel drive dual-motor versions will be offered further down the line, including a hot hatch-slaying GT variant, but details are few and far between at this early stage.

An official range for the ‘EV3 Standard’ hasn’t been communicated at this stage, but we’d guess it’ll be somewhere north of 450km, perhaps nudging 500km.

It’s a similar story with charging times: Kia says the Long Range battery can be filled from 10-80 per cent in 31 minutes when hooked up to a DC fast-charger, but hasn’t stipulated the maximum charging power or key charging specs for the lesser unit.

Regardless, it’s highly unlikely to be the same 350kW capability as the EV6 and EV9, given the EV3 uses a 400V version of the typically 800V e-GMP platform.

Pitched at the very heart of the compact SUV market, the EV3 measures 4300mm long, 1850mm wide and 1560mm tall, and rides on a 2680mm wheelbase, offering a 460-litre boot and a 25-litre frunk with seating for five.

The cabin features the obligatory blend of modern EV sustainable materials, including recycled fabrics (dash and door trims) and trims made from recycled plastic, such as for the seats, headliner, door armrests, garnishes, floor mats and language board.

The interior is ruled by Kia’s now-familiar dual-screen cockpit layout comprising a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and matching 12.3-inch infotainment touch-screen, however, the two displays are now split by a portrait-style 5.0-inch climate control panel as per the bigger EV9.

Below the infotainment system is a similar row of integrated shortcut buttons – also as per the EV9 – which in turn sit above a volume dial and the central air-vents, the former sitting between the latter.

Physical driver and passenger climate controls occupy the next layer of the dash, split neatly by the hazard lights button.

The front seats are split by a multi-level centre console offering an open-top storage compartment beneath a sliding armrest that Kia says can double as makeshift workplace, or at least somewhere to put a laptop or tablet while the car recharges.

Kia said EV customers have been asking for more entertainment or other ways to kill time while their vehicle recharges, which is why the EV3 features the latest ccNC multimedia operating system and LG’s Automotive Content Platform – allowing access to streaming services and arcade games.

The infotainment system’s other headline act is the inclusion of Kia’s new AI Assistant, making it the Korean brand’s first EV – and its second model after the new K4 sedan – to feature the tech.

It works hand-in-hand with the onboard voice command system to enhance the user experience and can be employed to alter any number of key functions, including the climate control.

Technical highlights beyond the infotainment system include a 12-inch head-up display, the i-Pedal 3.0 one-pedal driving system, vehicle-to-load (V2L) appliance charging functionality, digital key compatibility, dynamic torque vectoring, a Harman Kardon sound system and blind spot view monitor.

Not all these features will be available on all variants, but the traditionally fully-loaded GT-Line trim will, along with a unique body kit, specific alloy wheels and a bespoke exterior paint colour palette, plus a sporty black interior colourway to help set it apart.

Headline active safety gear for all variants will include forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, highway driving assist and reverse parking collision avoidance assist.

Australian pricing for the all-new Kia EV3 won’t be announced until closer to its local release next year, but global Kia execs nominated a $US35,000-$US50,000 target price bracket – directly converting to $A52,500-$A75,000 and pretty much on par with local estimations made earlier this year.

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