Kia teased the production version of the EV3 concept before the crossover’s global debut May 23. Based on the angles we see so far, and as usual for the brand, there isn’t much difference between the show car and the one that will sit on dealer floors later this year. The Star Map lighting on the production version is a little different. The headlights have been trimmed a touch and feature horizontal elements in as on the EV9 and K4 instead of vertical elements. The taillights look to be the same size, but the diagonal contrast on the concept is now a pattern of vertical lines running into the tailgate. That’s it for the apparent changes so far. Here’s to hoping the concept’s four-spoke wheels make the cut, too.
It’s been hinted the concept interior will bring a lot of its tricks to production, which could mean the EV3’s climate control panel that slides out from underneath the dashboard, the rows of air vents with little backlit and motorized pieces that direct airflow through the cabin, or the movable center console between the two front seats that can be locked into different positions to serve as a table. In back, the EV3’s rear bench can flip upward to allow you to carry tall items on the SUV’s flat load floor – not unlike the Magic Seats from the old Honda Fit. Kia is also working on a way for the EV3’s vehicle-to-load charging system to work inside the car, so you could theoretically load an e-bike into the back of the SUV and charge it on the go.
Kia used the word “accessibility” four times in its brief press release — it’s making this for the masses. We don’t know pricing yet, but the general consensus puts the EV3 in the $30,000 to $40,000 range depending on battery size and motor count. That buys Kia’s smaller 58 kWh battery pack and 400-volt architecture, with the chance of Kia offering its 77.4-kWh pack.
The global premiere happens May 23 at 6 a.m. Eastern Time.