Unveiled alongside the Concept EV4, the Kia Concept EV3 showcases the brand’s vision for a compact electric CUV that seamlessly combines practicality with an exhilarating driving experience. It provides users with the advanced technology, functionality, and aesthetic appeal found in Kia’s flagship SUV, the EV9, all within a compact and easily accessible package.
Although these attributes may appear contradictory, Kia’s design philosophy of ‘Opposites United’ embraces the challenge of merging seemingly conflicting elements to create innovative and cutting-edge design solutions. In the case of the Concept EV3, Kia’s designers drew significant inspiration from the ‘Joy for Reason’ aspect of the design philosophy.
The cabin’s design treatment, characterized by the forward-pushed windscreen and the elongated sloping roofline, produces a distinctive silhouette. The sturdy structure of the squared wheel arches, featuring asymmetrical angles, yields an unforeseen coherence and a powerful impact. This is further juxtaposed by the wrap-around windscreen and detached C pillar, which connect the glasshouse surfaces and create an illusion of the roof floating.
Inside, the Concept EV3 blends exceptional practicality with transformative cabin ambience and design. As with the vehicles’ exterior, the ‘Joy for Reason’ pillar plays a fundamental influencing role, merging seemingly opposing values to execute a precise product design language, resulting in a cabin that feels joyful to travel in, while providing ample space to support an active lifestyle once occupants reach their destination.
Its cabin also provides an environment that promotes emotional wellbeing. Enhanced by soft mood lighting, the compelling, ultra-clean shape and surface of the dashboard, crafted through exquisitely refined character lines, creates an expansive visual sense to offer up the possibility of boundless opportunities on every journey.
Advanced ergonomic seat design and environmentally friendly materials, in keeping with the brand’s ethos of achieving sustainability at scale, combine with mini tables that rotate in length, position, and angle. In conjunction with the movement of the seats, the tables support four customer experience-enhancing modes – Focus, Social, Refreshing and Storage. The folding bench-type rear seat is equally flexible and can be effortlessly folded upward, allowing for storing bulky luggage such as electric scooters and bicycles.