SEOUL, South Korea—Drive enough electric vehicles from enough different manufacturers and something becomes clear: the Korean automakers know what they're doing. From small cars like the Niro all the way to three-row SUVs, the EVs coming out of Kia (and its sibling Hyundai) are as efficient as anything out there, usually with a distinctive style. It's fair to say they're at the front of the pack, at least as far as EVs offered to North America.
And soon, there will be a new one to consider. It's the Kia EV4, a small electric sedan that uses a new version of the E-GMP platform that has so impressed us in cars like the EV6. Originally designed for midsize and larger vehicles and operating at 800 V, the E-GMP powertrain is very capable but also relatively expensive to make. Now Kia has taken what it learned with the 800 V experience and applied it to the new 400 V version that's suitable for smaller and cheaper EVs.
One motor, two packs
Kia told Ars that while the development know-how carried over to the new lower-voltage components, the battery, motors, and power electronics are all new. The car arrives in the US in Q4 of this year and will feature a native NACS charging port. There's only one motor being offered for now, which generates 201 hp (150 kW) and 209 lb-ft (283 Nm) and drives the front wheels. But there are two choices of battery: the standard 58.3 kWh, which Kia reckons should achieve an EPA range of 235 miles (378 km); and an 81.4 kWh long-range pack, that should be sufficient for 330 miles (531 km) on North American roads. In time, expect a twin-motor, all-wheel drive option, as well as a more powerful EV4 GT.
