Kia’s smallest and most affordable all-electric model has gone on sale here priced from €28,660, writes Trish Whelan. The car, compact outside and spacious inside, competes in one of Ireland’s fastest growing segments which accounts for over 22 per cent of all new car sales, with fully electric B-SUVs growing in popularity by 37 per cent year-on-year.
EV2 was designed, engineered and produced in Europe - and tuned specifically for European roads - it is available exclusively as a five-seater in Ireland.
EV2 follows the exterior design of Kia’s other recent EVs, with a bold and boxy exterior with upright proportions and strong shoulder line, like that of the EV5 and EV9.
The new EV2 combines everyday versatility, upper-segment technology and a comprehensive Advanced driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and driving performance. It is available in four different trim levels, each with an impressive list of standard equipment and a choice of 42.2kWh standard-range battery with a 317km range, or 61.0kWh long-range battery option with a class-leading range of up to 453km. All variants are powered by a single front-mounted electric motor. In variants equipped with the standard-range battery pack, the electric motor applies 144bhp through the front wheels; the larger long-range battery pack is paired with a slightly detuned front motor to maximise driving efficiency applying 133bhp through the front wheels. All variants produce 250Nm torque.
EV2 offers Kia’s latest triple-screen connected car Navigation Cockpit system integrating a 12.3-inch driver cluster, 12.3-inch central touchscreen, and 5.3-inch climate control display.
Boot space is a decent 362 litres.
Four trim levels are: Air, Earth, GT-Line and GT-Line Plus, with the latter two trims exclusively available in long range. The Air trim comes very well specced for an entry level model with 16-inch alloy wheels, Blind-spot collision avoidance, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats and steering wheel, LED headlights, smart cruise control 2 and wireless CarPlay & Android Auto. Earth has 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, wireless phone charger, and 15 litre frunk; GT adds 19-inch alloys, GT-Line exterior and interior styling, vegan leather seats, power driver seat with lumbar support, while GT-Plus adds 12.3-inch infotainment with built-in maps and Kia upgrades, Hardon Kardon sound system, heat pump, Highway driving Assist 2, glass sunroof.
DC fast charging from 10-80 percent takes approximately 29 minutes for the standard-range version and just a minute or so more for the long-range model. EV2 is available from €28,660-€30,530 for the 42.2 kWh battery variant, and from €31,940-€37,090 for the 61.0kWh model.
After a short spin on launch day, I believe it could well become Kia Ireland’s best-selling all-electric model.
