Kia Affordable Subcompact EV Crossover Seen Testing (Updated)

The captured footage appears to show the car being tested for left-hand drive markets.

*Update

While the video featured here is identified by the channel as being the Kia EV2, we noted in our article a few oddities that seemed inconsistent with what we knew about the EV2. It seems the original uploader had misidentified the vehicle as the EV2 when it more closely resembles the upcoming Kia Clavis EV. A paragraph has been added to the article below with this correction.  

Since the release of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, Hyundai Motor Group has been on a roll releasing exciting new EV models that are in high demand worldwide. In October 2023, Kia introduced us to the next stage of their EV growth at their inaugural EV Day event in Seoul. Here, the South Korean automaker unveiled a lineup of EV concepts designed to bring electric vehicles to every end of the market. This event was where we first laid eyes upon the highly anticipated EV3, EV4, and EV5 models.

One of the vehicles announced but not shown at the event was the subcompact EV2. According to Kia’s co-CEO and President Ho Sung Song, the EV2 is expected to launch at or below $30,000. This is set to become one of the brand’s most affordable electric models. The automaker is aiming for wide market penetration in Europe and other regions where small cars are big sellers.

So far we have not seen official renderings or concepts of the vehicle, but YouTube channel Short Car claims to have seen the EV2 wrapped in camouflage on the streets of South Korea.

The footage does not reveal a great deal we did not already know. However, it does appear that the example filmed has the driver position on the right, signaling a potential release in the UK, India, and other left-hand drive countries.

Short Car describes the EV2 as a potential $15,000 replacement for the recently released Kia Ray EV. However, official pricing has not been released, and previous statements indicated a higher starting MSRP. In addition, deliveries of the relaunched Kia Ray EV only began late last year. So if this truly is intended as a replacement, it might be a few years away from release.

Correction – While the video uploader does identify this as an EV2, this actually appears to be the upcoming Kia Clavis EV, which explains the inconsistencies we noted in the article. Thanks to Stephan 90 for the tip. 

In other words, a lot is still unknown about Kia’s newest subcompact EV crossover. The Kia EV2 certainly seems well-positioned to make a big impact on the affordable EV market. Yet the final design, price, and countries slated for release are still up in the air, so it is difficult to say at this point. Hopefully, it will live up to Kia’s lofty expectations.

What do you think of Kia’s upcoming lineup? Let us know in the comments below.