Volvo EX30 competitor: the Kia EV3 crossover has arrived in Europe with a price from 35,990 euros and a range of up to 605 kilometres

Kia has announced the European launch of its new EV3 compact crossover. The vehicle is built on a specialised Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and is part of Kia's plan to create 11 new electric vehicles by 2026.

The Kia EV3 is designed in the spirit of Kia's signature 'Opposites United' design concept, which combines natural and contemporary motifs. The car measures 4,300mm in length, 1,850mm in width and 1,560mm in height. With these dimensions, the Korean brand's new model is close to the already popular Volvo EX30 in Europe.

Batteries, range, charging speed

In the top configuration with a battery of 81.4 kWh the crossover can drive up to 605 km (on the WLTP cycle), and the cheaper version with a battery of 58.3 kWh provides up to 436 km. Thanks to i-Pedal technology and regenerative braking, the car can be driven with a single pedal. Even when reversing. The EV3 remembers the selected regenerative intensity settings and applies them after restarting.

To improve aerodynamics, the new electric car from Kia has active air flaps and a streamlined tail design that reduces the aerodynamic drag coefficient Cd to 0.263. This helps increase range and reduce energy consumption.

The EV3's fast charging capabilities are at a respectable level: a version with a 58.3 kWh battery can charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 29 minutes, and with an 81.4 kWh battery pack in 31 minutes. The EV3 also supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology - the ability to power external devices from the vehicle's battery, allowing the electric vehicle to be used as a portable energy storage device in the event of grid outages or to save on electricity bills when using a night tariff.

The crossover gets a panoramic triple display and a digital access key that can be shared with up to seven users. Another interesting feature of the EV3 is the In-Car Payment system to pay for parking without leaving the car. Other chips include support for OTA updates, video streaming, subscription-based features via Kia Connect Store and a ChatGPT-based voice assistant.

Kia EV3 pricing

Sales of the Kia EV3 in Germany have started with prices starting at 35,990 euros (about $38,300). In the UK, the model is available from August with prices starting from £32,995 ($42,500).

According to Kia vice president Jeong Won-Jeong, the EV3 has already been a "game changer" for Kia in its home market of Korea. There, EV3 pricing starts at just $30,700 (42.08 million Korean won). And with government incentives, the electric crossover can be bought for less than $30,000 (39.95 million Korean won).

Kia is also expected to launch the EV3 in the US market. EV3 prototypes have already been spotted during testing on American roads. According to preliminary information, the electric car will debut in 2025 with prices ranging from $30,000 to $35,000.

Sources: Kia Europe, Electrek