GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Electric Kia coupe breaks cover

Kia is aiming for electric leadership as it unveils a three-pronged electron-powered attack at the Geneva motor show that is led by its new ‘Imagine by Kia’ concept car.

Previewed by a series of recent teaser images, the compact four-door coupe is another design winner for Kia, which is out to prove that electric cars don’t have to be boring boxes.

The good looking Imagine has the performance of a Stinger in a car the size of the Cerato, but the headline act is a bank of 21 individual infotainment screens that sweep across the top of the dashboard.

“We wanted to move away from the rational and focus on the emotional, and embrace a warmer and more human approach to electrification,” says Gregory Guillaume, vice-president of design for Kia Motor Europe.

“Our all-electric concept is designed to not only get your pulse racing, but to also signpost our holistic and emotional approach to electrification.”

While the concept car turned heads in Europe it's the all-new e-Niro and second-generation Soul EV that will do the heavy lifting, at least in the short term.

The battery-powered Niro small SUV is due for Australian release by the end of this year and the Soul EV is on Kia Australia’s wishlist for 2021.

As Hyundai makes the early EV pace for Korea with its IONIQ Electric, Kia intends to accelerate into the action and will have the benefit of shared electric technology.

“The e-Niro and the electric Soul are both cars we are seriously considering for early entrants into the KMAu electric garage. If the Imagine concept continues through to production then it would also be on the wish list,” said Kia Motors Australia spokesman, Kevin Hepworth.

Kia is hugely serious about its electrification efforts but still wanted to have some fun with the ‘Imagine by Kia’ and that work is focussed on the cabin.

“These 21 incredibly-thin screens are a humorous and irreverent riposte to the on-going competition between some automotive manufacturers to see who can produce the car with the biggest screen,” said Ralph Kluge, who was responsible for the interior design.

The proportions of the concept are obviously sedan-based and could be translated towards production, but the concept goes futuristic with a single sheet of glass for both the windscreen and roof.

It also rolls on 22-inch wheels and has giant clamshell doors, which are a zero chance of production but look good as they eliminate any B-pillar on the car.

As Kia gets serious about electrification, Guillaume says design can help to bridge the gap between dreams and reality.

“Automotive design is about capturing the heart and making it beat that bit faster for that bit longer. We believe that there’s absolutely no reason why that should change simply because the car is electric,” he says.

“Today’s drivers understandably have many questions about electric cars. They’re concerned about range, the recharging network, and whether electric cars will still be dynamic and engaging to drive.

“So, when we first started thinking about this concept and imagining what its role would be, we knew that the best way to answer those questions and address those concerns was by approaching electrification purely from an emotional point of view.”

Mechanically, the Imagine concept moves away from the e-Niro approach with a low-mounted battery pack that is induction charged.

As yet there is no news on range or charging time.