Kia launches EV5 compact electric SUV in S. Korea

The logo of Kia is seen in this Feb. 4, 2022 photo. Yonhap

Kia on Wednesday launched the EV5, the company's fifth dedicated electric vehicle (EV), in South Korea, with plans to export the model to Europe and Canada in the near future.

The EV5 is a compact electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) built on Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP platform. Kia said the South Korean model features design and safety specifications tailored to local consumer needs and regulations, differing from the version introduced earlier in China.

The EV5 will be produced at Kia's Gwangju plant for both the domestic and export markets.

The exterior adopts Kia's "Opposites United" design philosophy, combining the model's boxy body with curved elements. Inside, it offers a spacious passenger space and provides 965 liters of luggage space.

The model is equipped with an 81.4 kilowatt-hour (kWh) nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery paired with a 160 kilowatt front-wheel-drive motor.

The EV5 uses batteries supplied by China's CATL, rather than those from South Korean battery makers.

Kia said the choice was aimed at ensuring a stable supply chain, adding that the decision factored in cost, performance, quality and safety. "The battery has been fully validated to Kia's safety and quality standards," the company said.

The EV5 also introduces an acceleration-limiting assist feature, the first for a Hyundai Motor Group model, and comes with other convenience options, including a pet mode, which allows owners to maintain an optimal indoor temperature via a smartphone app when leaving pets inside the car.