Big though it is - enormous, some would say - the Kia EV9 surprised many of us with its ability to deliver impressive and predictable range.
A lot of it was to do with the way the drag factor - a critical factor in the range efficiency of a car - was reduced to a very impressive 0.28, which the engineers managed to do by creating a much more efficient air flow underneath the car. This increased the car's ability to significantly lower wind resistance.
Now Kia is using the same technology to deliver a smaller and less expensive version of the 9 in the shape of the compact 3. In fact the EV3 is effectively a scaled model of the much bigger 9. It has all the squared off and chunky features of the 9 and many of its styling cues are exactly the same.
You have the same boxy and chunky lines, the daytime LED running lights and the sloping roofline leading back to the hatchback tailgate. The 4.3 metres long, 1.5 metres high and 1.8 metres wide. One important statistic is for the boot, which is promised to have a very generous capacity of 460 litres.
Looks aside, though, the big question will relate to range. The entry level car has a 58.3 kWh battery, from which Kia is intending to deliver about 400 km’s and the long-range version has an 81.4 kWh battery that is claimed to deliver up to 600 km’s. The usual caveats apply for claimed ranges from manufacturers, however. We’ll wait for the real-world results.
The EV 9 footprint is all over the interior, which has a 30" wraparound widescreen design comprising two 12.3" screens for infotainment and driver information. You still get to use old fashioned buttons on the steering wheel to control things like cruise control and navigation though.
The car will go on sale in Ireland in October and there are no prices determined yet. However, given that the car represents a real opportunity for growth in sales here prices should be competitive.
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