EV5 is the latest EV reveal from Kia and offers more manageable parking dimensions for those customers who want an SUV but often commute in a tight urban environment.
Like the EV6, which has been available in the UK since late 2021, Kia’s EV5 offers several battery sizes and motor outputs. The standard version features a 64kWh battery, spinning a 160kW motor powering the front wheels, with Kia claiming a driving range of 329 miles.
For those customers who need more endurance and performance, there is an 81kWh option, adding a 70kW rear axle motor, making the EV5 all-wheel drive. Total system output for the dual-motor EV5 rates at 225kW, with a driving range of 403 miles.
Kia says the battery packs will recharge from 30- to 70% in only 27 minutes, provided you plug into an appropriately potent fast charger. To help you locate those unoccupied chargers and reduce recharging frustration, EV5 has onboard hardware and software capable of signalling and linking with chargers and grid infrastructure.
The EV5 might be shorter, with a subtler and more elegant design than Kia’s sloping roofline EV6, but inside, it’s much the same advanced cabin architecture. Only the most necessary buttons are present, with most functions mastered by haptics and touchscreen interfacing with the 12.3-inch centre screen.
> Read more: Kia Niro EV review
Those who desire the entirely immersive digital driving experience can order an optional head-up display, completing the EV5’s raft of technologies, which include seamless device connectivity and over-the-air updates.
Novelty features? Well, the EV5 has a thermally controlled storage compartment that can keep your pies warm or cooldrinks cold while on a journey. And if you need to nap after consuming your roadside snacks, the EV5’s rear seats fold completely flat.
UK pricing and details of the high-performance EV5 GT version are still to be confirmed.
