Kia EV2 Promises Pocket-Sized Electric Fun
Image Credit: Kia.
Kia seems to believe that big, honkin' SUVs aren't the only way to electrify your life. They've unveiled the EV2 concept, a little electric SUV that's about as big as a breadbox – well, a stylish, futuristic breadbox. It's the electric Stonic's baby sibling, with a cheeky grin and a whole lot of zap.
The EV2 has these adorable quad headlights, rugged plastic cladding that screams, "I can handle a curb!" and taillights that are slimmer than my patience at a slow-moving drive-thru. And yes, they said the production version will look a lot like this, just with slightly less "concept car" and a bit more "real world." So - normal doors, not the fancy suicide ones they showed, which are probably too much hassle for a grocery run anyway.
Image Credit: Kia.
The inside is a futuristic lounge. They've got this flat floor, which is perfect for, you know, stretching out and doing yoga when you're stuck in traffic. And if you fold the rear seats and slide the front bench back, you can practically have a picnic in there. They even showed off portable speakers on the doors! Plus, there's a wireless charger and message lighting on the side windows so you can chat with other drivers. I'm imagining sending "Honk if you love electric!" messages.
Kia's being all coy about the details for now. They did say the EV2 will be riding on a smaller version of their E-GMP platform, and it'll probably have a single motor and a smaller battery than its big brother, the EV3. That's to keep the price down, which is a good thing, because nobody wants to pay a fortune for a car that's smaller than their living room.
Speaking of price, Kia's aiming for around €30,000, which is about $31,400 in good ol' American dollars. Not bad. They say it'll be hitting European roads in 2026, and maybe some other places too, but sadly, not the good ol' USA. Guess we'll have to admire it from afar.
This little EV2 is going to be a perfect city car. Small, zippy, and electric. What's not to love? It's like a tiny electric bulldog - cute and ready to rumble. The EV2 is aiming to compete with the likes of the Jeep Avenger and the Mini Aceman - in the markets where they are available, of course. So, it's going to be a fun little battle for the B-SUV electric segment.
I'm a little skeptical about some of the concept features making it to production. I mean, those suicide doors? As cool as they look, they are not practical. And the message lighting? Sounds fun, but I'm not sure if I want to be chatting with other drivers through my windows.
Kia is promising technology and practicality "beyond its size." And they want to make electric vehicles accessible to everyone. Which is great. So, the little Kia EV2 - stylish, and ready to electrify your commute. Just don't expect to take it on a cross-country road trip. Unless you really, really like charging stations.
