While the world has its eyes on large electric limousines and powerful SUV models, KIA is quietly preparing its most important move for the European market - a successor to the legendary Picanto, powered entirely by batteries. David Hilbert, the head of marketing for Europe, confirmed that the company has “done its homework” for an affordable entry-level electric model, which will most likely be called the EV1.
The goal is ambitious, but critically important: the car must fit into the 20,000 price range. This is not just another news, but a direct response to the upcoming wave of affordable small electric cars. On the horizon are the new Renault Twingo E-Tech, which starts at just over 21,000 euros, and the upcoming budget Volkswagen ID.1. If KIA wants to maintain its leadership in the urban segment, the EV1 must be not only technological, but also price-aggressive.
According to preliminary information, the new EV1 will take a place below the recently presented EV2 crossover, the production of which in Slovakia will start in early 2026. While the EV2 is conceived as a more versatile urban SUV with a range of up to 450 km, the future EV1 will be a true “urban predator“. With a length of about 3.7 meters, it will rely on exceptional maneuverability and a 400-volt architecture optimized for short trips.
An interesting detail is the attention that KIA pays to the new regulations in the European Union for the M1E category (small affordable electric vehicles). If the EV1 is produced on European soil – like its bigger brother EV2 in Žilina – the model could benefit from serious subsidies and reliefs, which would make it even more attractive to the end customer.
Although the final decision on the market launch is expected later, the concept model could be shown as early as this year. One thing is certain – the days of noisy and vibrating three-cylinder engines in small city cars are numbered. According to the Koreans, the future of the city is quiet and clean.