Kia has whipped the covers off its smallest electric SUV yet, the EV2, at the 2026 Brussels motor show.
Stylistically, the EV2 largely takes the SUV design template established by the EV3 and EV9, and shrinks it down to fit the burgeoning city EV segment in Europe.
As previewed by last year’s Concept EV2, the production model dispenses with the serpentine tail-light graphics for a Hyundai Kona-like pod just above the rear bumper.
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The EV2 measures 4060mm long, 1800mm wide, 1575mm tall, and ride on a 2565mm wheelbase. This means it’s 80mm shorter than the retro-flavoured Renault 4 E-Tech it will compete against in what’s turning out to be hottest part of the Continent’s EV market.
Although pricing has yet to be officially confirmed, it’s expected the made-in-Slovakia EV2 will, like the Renault 4, have a starting price just under €30,000 (A$52,000).
Based on the E-GMP EV-specific platform, the EV2 has a 400V electric architecture and is available with the choice of two battery packs.
The 42.2kWh standard range unit is expected to have a 317km WLTP range. It has a 107kW electric motor driving the front wheels, and can complete the 0-100km/h dash in 8.6 seconds.
Meanwhile, the 61.0kWh long range option should have a WLTP range rating around 448km. Interestingly, this variant has a less powerful 100kW motor driving the front wheels, which coupled with the heavier battery pack blows the 0-100km/h time out to 9.5 seconds.
Reports indicate the EV2’s torsion beam rear suspension prohibits the addition of an electric motor on the rear axle for a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup.
Both battery variants have a top speed of 160km/h, and support 11kW and 22kW AC charging. There’s also DC fast charging capability, but Kia has yet to provide specifics, except to say the standard range model can be recharged in around 29 minutes, and the long range edition in roughly 30 minutes.
The EV2 has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, allowing it to power small appliances, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality, which means it can feed electricity back into the power grid.
Buyers can choose between four- and five-seat versions. Five-seat variants have a rear bench with a split-folding back rest, while four-seat models have two individual rear seats, each of which can slide forward up to 73mm to increase cargo capacity in the boot to 403L.
In five-seat trim or when four-seat models have both rear seats pushed all the way back, boot space is rated at 332L. All variants have a small 15L storage area under the bonnet, commonly referred to as a frunk.
To make the interior feel a little more premium, Kia has put fabric trim and ambient lighting elements on the dashboard and the doors. The dash is dominated by a rectangular display field housing a 12.3-inch instrumentation display and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.
The EV2 employs the new ccNC Lite operating system, which retains the “core features”, and the look and feel of the ccNC system used on larger models. It can be kept up-to-date via over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
There’s also a 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen wedged in between the two larger displays. Thankfully there are also physical climate controls under the central air vents.
A physical volume scroll wheel and audio system power button live between the central vents, while a strip of a capacitive shortcut buttons resides under the main touchscreen.
Available features include an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system, remote connectivity via a smartphone app, and a digital key stored on the driver’s smartphone. Depending on the trim level, the EV2 rides on 16-, 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.
As far as safety goes, the list includes autonomous emergency braking, 360-degree camera system, remote park assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Production of the standard range EV2 begins in Žilina, Slovakia in February, while the long range and sportier GT-Line models start trundling down the line in June.
“We would like to offer EV2, however, production out of Slovakia does present some hurdles when it comes to logistics and cost, so it is highly unlikely,” said a Kia Australia spokesperson told CarExpert in early 2025.