Kia EV3 tease excites with scaled-down EV9 vibes – late May launch confirmed

The Kia EV9 is one of the hottest electric cars on the road right now. It's a car that's been lapping up awards, due in no small part to its jaw-dropping design. The EV9 looks like it drove out of a science fiction movie, with only minimal changes from the concept car. That's exciting, because Kia's next EV model is incoming, and we've got our hands on some of the teaser images.

There's not too much that can be deduced from these photos of the Kia EV3. There are a couple of images showing the rear of car, but the angular design can clearly be seen, suggesting that, like the EV9, this is going to be a striking design overall. Then we get a look at the front wing, where Kia's signature light design is visible - but little else can be deduced.

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Fortunately, Kia previewed the EV3 as a concept car in October 2023, so we already have a good idea of what this car will look like, and we're not expecting huge changes from this concept model when the car is launched on 23 May.

Kia is potentially lining up the EV3 as a replacement for the boxy Kia Soul EV, resulting in a compact electric car, with prices expected to start from under £30,000. The Soul EV has divided opinion, drawing a Marmite reaction with some hating it and some loving it.

While the exterior of the Kia EV3 is likely to stick to the concept lines, the interior will likely be similar to the Kia EV6 and Kia EV9, and forego some of the minimalist aesthetic that the concept suggested.

What we don't yet know is what sort of range this model will offer. It's likely to pick up the 58kW battery found in the Kia EV6, whether it will offer the larger 77kWh battery to maximise range remains to be seen. Kia will likely focus on affordability and accessibility for this model, so I'd expect a single motor model with a small battery to be offered, and likely to be popular - perhaps even a contender for best small electric car.

The full reveal of the Kia EV3 will take place on 23 May, with Kia livestreaming the action on YouTube.