A Kia K4 Hatchback and a Kia EV4 GT-Line are displayed during the New York International Auto Show Press Preview in New York on Wednesday.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Kia unveiled an all-new, all-electric sedan at the New York auto show on Wednesday – the first the maker has built for an international market. The Kia EV4 will be made in South Korea and sold in Canada early next year, with an all-wheel-drive version arriving in Canada later next year.
The South Korean company also introduced a more practical, hatchback version of its gas-powered K4 sedan, which will be built in Mexico and is expected to arrive in Canada toward the end of this year. It will be 28 centimetres shorter than the sedan but provide 629 litres of space behind the second row of seats or 1,680 litres when those seats are folded flat. That’s considerably more than the 425 litres of space in the trunk of the K4 sedan.
Tom Kearns, chief designer at Kia Design Center America, speaks right after the introduction of the new EV4 at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
It was the electric EV4 that stole the stage, however. No price has been announced for the five-seater, but it’s expected to lower the average entry point for EVs in Canada. “We are continuing to shape the future of accessible EV ownership with the EV4,” said David Sherrard, director of strategic planning for Kia Canada. It will provide “a first EV affordable option for consumers in the compact sedan market.”
Like other Kias, the EV4 is based on a 400-volt platform and will be available with two battery sizes. The standard-range model, sold in the “Light” trim with front-wheel drive, will have a 58.3-kilowatt-hour battery, while the four other trims will have an 81.4-kilowatt-hour battery. The smaller unit will have a range of up to 378 kilometres, while the larger unit should be capable of driving up to either 482 kilometres or 531 kilometres on a single charge, depending on if it uses front- or all-wheel drive.
Orth Hedrick, vice-president of product planning for Kia Motors North America, looks in the trunk during the presentation to reveal the new K4 Hatchback at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
All models will be equipped with North America Charging Standard ports, so they can be recharged at Tesla superchargers. If you can find a 400-watt Level 3 charger, they can boost from 10 to 80 per cent in either 29 or 31 minutes, depending on the battery size.
The sedan’s energy efficiency benefits from an aerodynamic shape, with a claimed drag co-efficient of 0.23. In comparison, many modern sedans are 0.25 – 0.30 Cd, though a Tesla Model 3 is 0.22, and a Hyundai Ioniq 6 is 0.21.
The company did not supply aerodynamic measurements for the new K4 Hatchback which, like the sedan, will be sold with a standard two-litre engine that produces 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque and equipped with a continuously variable transmission. It will also be available with a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that produces 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque and equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Despite its shorter length, the K4 Hatchback has more than two extra centimetres of headroom in the rear seat compared to the sedan. It maintains the legroom for rear-seat passengers that Kia says is the best in its class.
The interior of the new K4.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The interior of the new EV4.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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