2025 Kia EV3 Could Finally Be The Cheap, Long Range EV The Industry Desperately Needs

I didn’t need Kia to remind me that the three main excuses consumers are currently using for not going all in on electric vehicles (EV) are range, charging infrastructure and pricing, but I was happy to hear the carmaker mention these during the 2025 EV3 online reveal.

While Kia still remains tight-lipped about important specifics for the North American market, like an exact pricing ladder, EPA-estimated range and charging performance, the carmaker did allude to the fact that this crossover could, in fact, mark the arrival of the long-awaited affordable, no compromise electric vehicle.

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2025 Kia EV3 Is A Tad Smaller Than A Niro EV

If you’ve been following me on these pages, you know about how I’m a huge fan of small, lightweight electric vehicles. So I’m totally down with the fact that Kia’s new EV3 will actually be smaller than the already tiny Niro EV, which, by the way, is staying within the lineup, Kia says. In fact, the EV3 rides on a shorter wheelbase than that car, even if a larger capacity battery pack is housed within its floor. See the comparison below.

Exterior Dimensions

We still don’t know how much the EV3 weighs, but such small dimensions could allow it to remain relatively light which, in turn, could help it consume less electricity and therefore offer more range. The EV3 is also rather aerodynamic for an SUV that essentially looks like a box on wheels. Kia claims a drag coefficient (Cd) of only 0.263.

Front-Wheel Drive Only With Two Battery Capacity Options

Another interesting fact about Kia’s 2025 EV3 is that, although it rides on the Hyundai group’s E-GMP EV-dedicated architecture, it will come by default as a front-wheel drive vehicle. At least, that’s what Kia says for now, but this could change later on.

Why is this unusual? If you look at all Hyundai/Kia/Genesis vehicles built on this platform, they all first come with a rear-wheel drive configuration, adding all-wheel drive as an option. As a matter of fact, the E-GMP platform comes off the assembly line with an electric motor already integrated onto the rear axle for optimized manufacturing.

But the EV3 seems to change this by offering front-wheel drive as standard equipment. According to Kia, this was done for packaging reasons, allowing it to maximize the available cabin and cargo space. About that: the EV3 comes with a small front trunk (frunk), kind of like in the larger EV9, but that, sadly, doesn’t allow it to carry more cargo than a Niro EV. See below.

Cargo Space Specifications

You’ll be able to choose between two different battery capacities, either a 58.3-kWh (usable) unit, or a much larger 81.4 kWh setup. This is a similar offering to the Hyundai IONIQ 5, which should help the EV3 offer seriously competitive range. All versions of the EV3 will be powered by the same front-mounted electric motor good for 150 kW, or the equivalent of 201 horsepower and 208 lb-ft of torque.

Up To 372 Miles Of WLTP Range

Kia hasn’t published EPA-estimated range figures just yet, but did speak of a maximum of 372 miles according to the EU’s Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). This could translate to an EPA figure of 310 miles, give or take.

Since the EV3 rides on the same platform as the EV6 and EV9, it was also blessed with an 800-volt charging architecture, which could allow it to offer over 200-kW of fast-charging performance. Kia didn’t confirm this information just yet, but did mention that the EV3 will be able to fast-charge from 10 to 80% in about 31 minutes. Vehicle to load (V2L) technology – which allows an electric vehicle to power accessories – will also be available.

Kia’s pocket-sized crossover also appears to be loaded with cool technology, like an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant or the possibility to download themes and wallpapers for the vehicle’s interface directly through Kia’s mobile app.

Kia also prides itself on the fact that the EV3 will be its first EV to employ its latest i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking technology. While not going into specifics, the carmaker speaks of a system that can, apparently, be adjusted to the driver’s liking, although the current i-Pedal already does this, so I’m not entirely sure what Kia is talking about here. More details about i-Pedal 3.0 will obviously be released later down the line.

Target Price Between $30,000 And $50,000

That’s all nice and dandy, but if Kia doesn’t manage to truly make this thing affordable for the hard-working middle class, we’re not better off, now, are we?

Of course, Kia didn’t confirm any pricing ladder for our market just yet, but its representatives did mention that the carmaker is aiming for a $30,000 to $50,000 USD window, with an annual volume target of 70,000 to 80,000 units per year.

It’s also quite obvious that the EV3 will not be built at Kia’s Georgia facility, since none of its EVs are currently built there. So don’t expect the EV3 to be eligible for any form of tax credit, although it’s not impossible to see EV3 production eventually shift to Mexico. We also don’t know how Kia plans on navigating through the soon shifting Canadian EV incentive program either.

Scheduled For The North American Market In Early 2025

While Kia does plan on introducing the EV3 to its South-Korean lineup in July, don’t expect it to hit US and Canadian showrooms this year. The carmaker will first launch it in Europe this fall before moving onto us. According to the Kia representatives on site during the presentation, the EV3 should arrive here by the end of Q1 of next year. But by then, there’s a good chance that serious contenders, like the also affordable Chevrolet Equinox EV, could disturb Kia’s North-American plans.

Of course, until we get there, we’ll have a chance to get our hands on a pre-production model to share our driving impressions.