- Kia hasn't confirmed the EV3 or EV4 for the US yet—but we might get both
- It's not clear if the EV3 is coming, or if the Niro EV will follow
- The Kia PV5 WKNDR electric camper van is a US breed test
The future of Kia's compact EVs in the US could be as simple as this: It doesn't have to be either/or.
And that could mean that US EV buyers could get a very interesting compact EV market that America has been sorely missing out on—thanks to the Kia EV3 and EV4 opportunity.
In October 2023, at its Kia EV Day event, the brand unveiled the EV3 compact electric crossover, which is roughly the same size as the Volvo EX30, and the EV4 compact electric hatchback. At the same event, it also revealed the production version of the EV5 electric crossover, which is the equivalent of the Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4.
Although Kia were quick at the time that the EV5 was not available in the US, it left the door open for the EV3 and EV4.
Kia EV4 concept
Production of the EV4 is expected to bow globally in the next few months. But Kia has already, since last year's event, shown off the production-bound EV3, with deliveries starting earlier this month in Europe. Meanwhile, there is still no US market confirmation for the EV3 or EV4.
Last week, at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Green Car Reports asked Kia America chief operating officer and vice president Steven Center which of the two EVs we might see.
“We might see both,” Center replied. “And I think that's partly a management issue.”
The agency explained that these are two very different EVs, referring to the The EV4 is the electric equivalent of the K5 sedanonce The EV3 is “a kind of Soul EV.”
2023 Kia Niro EV
Whether that means borrowed time for the Kia Niro EV, which Kia has chosen to bring to the US instead of the current Soul EV, Center won't say for sure—but it did point out that the Niro EV is built on an in-house platform, and is the second generation of the car that was picked up at the time. E-GMP EV platform is not available.
The agency also noted that sometime soon, Kia will have two lines of vehicles—an internal combustion line, which includes hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and one that is pure EV.
Meanwhile, the the number of US Kia EV models will continue to grow in the following year, the Center was certified. Whether that means the EV3, EV4, PV5, or something else entirely—or a reference to the high-powered Kia EV9 GT that was also revealed at the show—rest assured that it's not putting its EV on hold for 2025.
Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
Kia PV5 WKNDR concept
To tease what else it could be, Kia showed off what we interpreted as a rare card at the LA show. Its upcoming PV5 electric van may focus on commercial applications and future robotaxis, the company has said so far. But the recent debut of the PV5 WKNDR electric scooter at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas earlier this month, and its prominent display at the LA auto show, begs another question.
Is the brand preparing to position electric vans in the US as a compact, work-oriented take on the Volkswagen ID.Buzz—or, perhaps, more in line with the true ethos of the cult-favorite Honda Element?
Kia America vice president of marketing Russell Wager told GCR, also at the LA auto show, that The PV5 remains confirmed only in Korea and Europeand the purpose of the SEMA concept was to test the reaction of American customers to a “supernatural vision.”
“So we're still evaluating what that means, potentially, for the American market,” Wager said.