Kia’s budget EV2 arrives with up to 240 miles of range

Kia has unveiled its new entry-level electric vehicle, the EV2. The boxy model closely resembles the company’s Soul (Kia made an electric Soul at one point) and has very similar dimensions, although it is slightly shorter in height and length. It’s not exactly a range monster and it will charge a little slower than the competition. The EV2 was launched at the Brussels Motor Show and the company said it is not considering availability in the United States at this point.

The EV2 uses Kia/Hyundai’s E-GMP platform and sits at the bottom of its electric vehicle lineup as an “entry point to electric mobility,” according to the automaker. Although it’s almost the same size, it’s certainly prettier than the mediocre Soul and has more space inside. From a competition perspective, it rivals Volvo’s EX30 and could cost around the same, although Kia has yet to disclose pricing.

The EV2 will be offered with two battery options: a 42 kWh battery with 197 miles of WLTP range (likely around 170 miles by EPA standards) and 61 kWh with 278 miles of WLPT range (around 240 miles EPA). That’s not much, especially compared to the EX30’s maximum EPA range of 261 miles – so Kia’s pricing for the EV2 will be key. As for charging speeds, Kia says the EV2 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes, which is a bit slower than the 69 kWh EX30. Like other Kia vehicles, the EV2 supports vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-charge (V2L/V2G) charging.

Kia calls the vehicle’s interior a “picnic box” to describe the small but useful space. Kia says it’s “comparable to larger vehicles” in terms of space, with generous rear legroom and a rear cargo capacity of up to 403 liters. It will be available in four and five-seater versions.

As for the technology inside, it offers a generous screen setup, with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a 5-inch climate screen. Ambient lighting in the cabin synchronizes with specific vehicle functions. At the same time, it offers a full range of manual climate controls, volume controls and much more. It comes with multiple USB-C ports (three on the front) supporting up to 100W charging.

The company has yet to reveal any performance numbers other than battery life. Production is expected to start in the first quarter, so deliveries are expected to begin in Europe and other regions later in the year. It doesn’t look like the EV2 will be coming to the U.S. anytime soon, as the company said it “has not announced plans for the U.S. market.”