AUTO

New Kia Concept EV3 & EV4 at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show

November 20, 2023

The Concept EV3 and Concept EV4 explore the philosophies of “Joy for Reason” and “Power to Progress” in the automaker’s Opposites United design system.
The EV3 has significant influences from the flagship EV9 three-row SUV.
The EV4 shows glimmers of the EV6 but in a stretched and widened four-door EV sedan.

Kia continues to impress current and future EV drivers with its artistic lineup of battery-electric vehicles. The automaker showcased its newest concept cars – EV3 and EV4 – at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Cutting-Edge Concept EVs With Obvious Kia Styling

These cutting-edge vehicles will eventually join the award-winning EV6 and the three-row 2024 EV9. The concept vehicles prove that the automaker is dedicated to achieving its Opposites United design philosophy with modern colors, materials, and finishes that sit atop the innovative EV platform.

The concept cars fit seamlessly with the current offerings from Kia thanks to their stylized headlights, modern lines, and interior features. The EV6 was just the beginning. The attraction it garnered proves that Kia knows what it’s doing with EV styling and performance. With excitement growing about the arrival of the EV9, it’ll be interesting to see if Kia sells as many as anticipated.

More EVs are sold in California than in the rest of the US, so the Los Angeles Auto Show is the perfect place to gauge excitement about concept EVs. Steven Center, COO & EVP of Kia America, said, “That’s why we came to Los Angeles and America’s savviest EV consumers, to gauge reaction to two potential opportunities within the Kia lineup.”

The Must-Have Sustainable Materials

While Kia EVs are already better for the environment than gas-powered cars, the automaker decided to add ten must-have items to future EVs. These eco-friendly products will make the upcoming Kia lineup even more sustainable. The must-have materials will be standard in the EV9 flagship EV and include:

Bioplastics sourced from vegetable oils and corn extract
Bio-polyurethane as a replacement for animal-based leather
Recycled PET plastics and fabrics
BTX-free paint made without benzene, toluene, and xylene

Get to Know the Joyful Concept EV3 Compact Crossover

The key to selling EVs is to make sure there is something for everyone. The EV9 will meet the needs of drivers who want a three-row SUV with zero emissions. The Concept EV3 looks like the EV9, but it’s a smaller, compact crossover designed to bring joy to drivers and passengers thanks to the “Joy for Reason” pillar of Kia’s Opposites United design philosophy.

The “Joy for Reason” pillar adds a dynamic silhouette to the substantial body style. The dichotomy of style and size elicits emotion – which will draw drivers to the attractive and efficient future models.

When designing the EV3, Kia engineers gave the roof a floating effect by adding glass between the C-pillar and the roof. They also pushed the windshield forward for an unexpected aerodynamic look that defies the squared wheel arches and block shape.

The EV3 will be the smallest of the Kia EVs, but in typical Kia style, the inside defies the petite exterior. Kia engineers have figured out how to create extra space, not just visually, but physically.

The EV3 uses the spacious interior design, soft ambient lighting, and clean dash design to create a stress-free environment to improve emotional well-being. The ergonomic seats have soothing colors and a durable, yet elegant fabric weave. The automaker added sliding bio-plastic tables that passengers can use for Focus, Social, Refreshing, and Storage.

The Progressive Concept EV4 Electric Sedan

The Kia EV6 is technically a crossover SUV, and the EV4 looks like a “sedaned” version of the 2023 SUV of the Year. Kia uses the “Power to Progress” pillar of the Opposites United design philosophy.

The four-door sedan has geometrical diagonal lines with richly appointed accents that give it a race-car look with the lengthened back end, the lowered front end, and innovative roof spoiler. Like the EV6, the EV4 will have a wide, aggressive stance. Unlike the EV6, the EV4 features vertical headlamps at the extreme edges of the front nose and bumper.

Rather than the open and expansive SUV interiors in the EV3 and EV9, the EV4 has a cocoon-like interior that seems to wrap around the driver and passengers. The Concept EV4 will be anything but cramped and uncomfortable. The interior space features dedicated storage areas, a storable HVAC interface, and flexible, innovative pin-style air vents. The interior fabric has unique stripes that give some interior features a 3D effect.