Kia Concept EV3, Concept EV4 unveiled – concepts suggest design direction for future SUV, sedan models
Joining the information release for the Kia EV5 are the Kia Concept EV3 and Concept EV4 at Kia EV Day, showcasing the manufacturer’s EV design language in the forms of a compact SUV and sedan, respectively. Being an electric compact SUV, the Concept EV3 draws from the angular lines as featured on the EV9 and the EV5.
Kia aims for the Concept EV3 to “deliver the EV9’s benefits in a compact SUV,” and its designers have drawn heavily from the ‘Joy for Reason’ pillar of its design philosophy. The EV3 takes on cues such as squared wheelarches and asymmetric angles which contrast with the wraparound windscreen and a cut-off C-pillar for a floating roof effect at the rear end.
The silhouette of the Concept EV3 is dictated by its pushed-forward windscreen and sloping roof, topping the aforementioned exterior design elements. Its interior similarly uses straight, angular lines, which are complemented by soft ambient lighting and clean dashboard lines.
The Concept EV3 uses environmentally friendly materials in its cabin, which features seats and mini-tables that can be moved to create four configurations – dubbed Focus, Social, Refreshing and Storage, according to the company. The folding rear bench seat can be folded upwards to make room for bulky luggage, such as electric scooters and bicycles, says Kia.
The second of the two concepts from Kia, the Concept EV4 brings a sedan silhouette to the proceedings, and while its four-door layout suggests it is classified as a sedan, the lines of the Concept EV4 “represent not just another sedan, but an entirely new type of EV sedan”, says Kia; possibly in the lifted-sedan mould of the Polestar 2.
Employing the ‘Power of Progress’ pillar of the carmaker’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, the Concept EV4’s wide stance features a front end that is bookended by headlamps which are vertically oriented at the outer edges of the bonnet and front bumper.
The long and wide stance of the Concept EV4 is carried into its interior, using styling elements which Kia says
“prioritises the driver’s experience” without obstructing their view. Dual digital screens form a slim instrument panel which Kia says will bring “subtle levels of driver orientation, helping clear the mind from distractions and prepare for upcoming tasks.”
Ambience in the Concept EV4 can be altered via the Mind Modes feature, which adjusts the ambient lighting and animated air-conditioning ventilation patterns by mode. In the ‘Perform’ mode, the system presents the driver with all the information they need in order to perform at their optimum. By contrast, the ‘Serenity’ mode offers a range of graphics for a more relaxed ambience for restoration.
As for powertrain details, Kia has yet to reveal what may provide motive force or either the Concept EV3 or Concept EV4, though given the carmaker’s tendency to drip-feed information on new models, more could be known about what under the skin of the concepts in the future.
Kia Concept EV3
Kia Concept EV4
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