Kia To Globally Debut Their First Dedicated EV In March 2021
Kia have announced that they will be globally debuting their first dedicated all-electric vehicle in March 2021. Although the Korean carmaker already has the e-Niro and Soul EV up their sleeve, this all-new EV will be the first dedicated battery electric vehicle to be built on Hyundai Group's bespoke E-GMP platform. Codenamed the 'CV', it will also be the first of seven dedicated EVs from Kia set to launch by 2027. Kia also unveiled their new logo recently and the CV will be the first global model to debut with the new Kia logo.
In a recent media event, Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Centre, said that the brand will be debuting a new design philosophy for the future. While the carmaker is yet to fully reveal the new design philosophy, the upcoming EV can be expected to sport this fresh design language. What will remain consistent with the new design language is the brand's signature 'Tiger Nose' grille. Kia believes the 'Tiger Nose' grille is one of the greatest elements of the brand's heritage and while it will definitely remain in the future, it could see very different executions.
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Kia have said that the upcoming EV will have a crossover design that "blurs the boundaries between passenger and sports utility vehicles”. In terms of design, one can expect the upcoming Kia CV to be inspired by the Imagine Concept Vehicle that was showcased by the brand at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Interior space will also be one of the CV's biggest highlight. One of the biggest advantages with EV architecture is that it allows for lot more flexibility and space on the inside. Kia thus say that they will be able to deliver a very new experience with interior design to their customer.
The Kia CV will have a driving range of more than 500 km and it is capable of charging under 20 mins using a high-speed 800V charger. The carmaker has also hinted about a performance variant for the future. Ho Sung Song, president and CEO, Kia Corporation, said, “We are definitely planning to launch high-performance versions of our electric vehicles and our first dedicated model will have a high-performance version too.”
Back here in India, Kia haven't announced any plans about any of their EVs making it to our shores in the near future. In stark contrast, Kia's sister brand, Hyundai, already has the Kona EV on sale in India and are even working on a mass-market, more accessible EV for India in the coming years.
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Kia updates and other four-wheeler news.