After its recent unveiling, the Kia EV5’s price has stunned the market by coming in lower than anticipated. The compact electric SUV, which is poised to enter the burgeoning Chinese electric vehicle (EV) sector, is set to provide a strong competition to established players.
Kia’s Chinese joint venture disclosed on Tuesday that the EV5 will have a starting price of approximately $22,000 (159,800 yuan), revealing an unexpectedly affordable entry point for the compact electric SUV. Set to make its market debut on November 17 in China, the EV5 was unveiled to the public at the Chengdu Motor Show last week. Kia asserts that the EV5 ushers in a new era of electric mobility in the compact SUV domain, tailored to meet the preferences of millennial families.
Drawing inspiration from Kia’s flagship EV9, albeit in a more compact form, the EV5 adopts the brand’s fresh design concept, “Opposites United,” which imbues it with a bold and aggressive stance. A standout feature is the brand’s innovative “Tiger Face” grille adorned at the front, accompanied by the unique “Star Map Lighting” created by the daytime running lights, effectively replacing the familiar “Tiger Nose” design seen in previous models.
Kia’s strategic placement of the D-pillars maximises the interior space, offering enhanced versatility. Notably, the rear bench can be folded completely flat, yielding additional cargo space, while supplementary storage can be accessed beneath the floor. Recognising the evolving preferences of millennials, Kia has thoughtfully curated the EV5’s interior to resonate more with a “home lounge” than a conventional car cabin.
Dimensionally, the EV5 measures 4,615 mm in length, 1,875 mm in width, and 1,715 mm in height. These specifications squarely position it as a competitor to Tesla’s Model Y in China, which measures slightly larger at 4,760 mm in length, 1,921 mm in width, and 1,624 mm in height.
Initial local speculations had pegged the Kia EV5’s starting price at approximately $40,000 (300,000 yuan). However, the confirmed price of $22,000 (159,800 yuan) comes as a positive surprise, considerably undercutting the starting price of Tesla’s Model Y, which is priced at around $36,000 (263,900 yuan). This competitive pricing strategy is expected to bolster Kia’s standing in China’s highly competitive EV market.
The $22,000 price point is poised to place the EV5 in direct competition with leading Chinese EV manufacturers such as BYD and Tesla, particularly in a landscape where price sensitivity is pivotal.
As part of a strategy to optimise manufacturing efficiency, the EV5 will be manufactured in China, which is expected to lead to reduced transportation costs. Furthermore, it is speculated that Kia’s electric SUV will adopt BYD’s Blade LFP batteries. Although Kia is yet to officially confirm this, insiders suggest that the base version could feature an impressive battery capacity of approximately 82 kWh.
According to leaked information from the MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), the Chinese version of the EV5 is projected to be powered by a single 214 hp electric motor, delivering a maximum torque of 310 Nm. An extended range variant is also anticipated, boasting a remarkable CLTC (Chinese Light-duty Test Cycle) driving range of over 600 km (373 miles).
Positioned between the Niro EV and EV6 in Kia’s EV lineup, the new EV5 compact electric SUV is primed to bridge the gap and tap into the growing demand for affordable yet feature-packed electric mobility options.
