Kia is boasting a long list of additional software features for the EV3, including a new generative AI assistant that can answer questions, help with navigation, and control basic cabin functions. This is the first Kia EV to get the company’s new bespoke assistant—it previously showed up in the compact Kia K4 and will make its way to other EV models soon—so while we haven’t tested this yet, we of course cannot wait to put it through the rigor of daily use. The onboard driver assistance features include dynamic torque vectoring for smooth acceleration, lane assist, a collision-avoidance system, and a highway self-driving mode. There’s also a remote parking assistant that can shimmy the SUV into a parking space while you stand on the curb and watch.
Photograph: Kia
Photograph: Kia
The EV3 is emerging into a booming EV market. While there has been lots of chatter about flashy, performance-minded EVs like Tesla’s Cybertruck and Porsche’s Maycan, automakers like Kia, Hyundai, and Ford have been regularly churning out affordable EVs that are fueling a multibillion-dollar global market. The EV3’s reveal also comes at a time when US officials have been wringing their hands over EV imports. The US recently instituted tariffs on Chinese EVs to prevent them from flooding the market. But cars from South Korean manufacturers like Kia and Hyundai currently make up a bigger portion of imports into the US than vehicles from China, Japan, or any other countries outside the EU.
Kia’s EV3 isn’t coming to the US just yet. Kia says the car will be released in South Korea in July, followed by a launch in the European Union in the latter half of 2024. It says it plans to consider expanding to other European regions and possibly elsewhere sometime after that.
The launch event is being livestreamed today; watch the reveal live or as a replay below: