Kia is expected to take covers off the Sportage-sized, Tesla Model Y-rivalling EV5 electric SUV towards the end of the month – but it is not yet locked in for Australia.
The Kia EV5 – a Sportage-sized electric SUV which will rival the class-leading Tesla Model Y – will reportedly be revealed later this month at the Chengdu Motor Show in China.
Kia’s ‘Concept EV5’ was unveiled in March this year – sharing most of its design with the larger EV9 SUV – but the South Korean car-maker has not yet revealed the production model.
South Korean publication Korean Car Blog reports Kia will unveil the EV5 at the Chengdu Motor Show on 25 August, ahead of deliveries starting in China – where the electric SUV will be built – from November 2023.
While Kia is prioritising China for the roll-out of the EV5, the Korean Car Blog claims the electric SUV will be available in “South Korea and overseas” – which could include Australia.
In June 2023, Kia Australia’s general manager of product planning, Roland Rivero, told Australian media the EV5 is on the company’s wishlist for local showrooms – though its plans have not yet been confirmed.
According to Korean Car Blog, examples of the Kia EV5 sold outside China will be powered by an 82kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack – larger than the 77.4kWh battery in the sleeker EV6 – which could offer up to 600km driving range.
The publication also claims Kia’s latest electric SUV will be based on a 400-volt electric-car platform – rather than the 800-volt ‘E-GMP’ architecture found in the EV6, EV9 and Hyundai’s battery-powered vehicles.
If the Kia Concept EV5’s dimensions carry across to the production version, we can expect the EV5 to measure between 4.5 to 4.6 metres in length – similar to the petrol and diesel-powered Sportage.
Korean Car Blog expects the Kia EV5 will be priced between 50 million won ($AU58,500) and 57 million won ($AU66,700) in South Korea – on par with Drive’s estimated figures of a $65,000 to $75,000 starting price in Australia.
Those prices would allow it to come within striking distance of the Tesla Model Y – the best-selling electric car in Australia and the world – which is priced from $65,400 plus on-road costs in rear-wheel-drive guise, and from $78,400 plus on-road costs for the Long Range all-wheel-drive.
The Kia EV5 will also be a part of the brand’s push to introduce more affordable and smaller electric cars, with plans for the new models to be built at factories in Europe, China and India in the next four years.
Kia has previously announced its plans to sell 15 electric vehicles by 2027, with those battery-powered models accounting for 1.6 million sales annually.
The post Kia EV5 electric SUV to be revealed this month – report appeared first on Drive.
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