Kia Has Revealed Its Electric Camper to Rival VW’s ID.Buzz

Looking to fill out its EV range to include an mini urban SUV, Kia has today revealed the EV2. It’s a concept, yes, but the auto company has already said that it’s definitely coming in 2026 and—much like all its recent concepts—the exterior will remain largely unchanged. The minimalist interior? Nope. Yes the sliding seats are fancy, but Karim Habib, head of global design at Kia, confirmed to WIRED that it was unlikely the inside will look anything like the concept offering.

Before we get to that, the exterior looks like a surprisingly successful shrinking of the excellent EV9, and that’s a good thing. Think of it as an SUVified Kia Soul, if you will, but with rear-hinged doors at the back which although striking, will not make it to the final production model. Destined for the European market early next year at around £25,000 (€30,000), this competes with the Renault 5, Hyundai Inster and Skoda Epiq.

Powertrain details could well be subject to change, but Kia has confirmed that this entry-level EV will boast a 55 kWh battery giving 270 miles of range as well as a new LFP iteration with around 185 miles. Vehicle-to-load bi-directional charging will also feature, so this means that along with the somewhat niche design theme inspiration of “picnics in the city”, the EV2 could power a post-sandwich projector and sound system set-up.

After so many tease images it was almost no reveal at all, Kia has also taken the covers off its final production version of the EV4 sedan, which also comes in a hatchback version, too. It has 58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh long-range battery options and a super-low drag coefficient of 0.23 Cd, helped by full underbody covers for better aerodynamics. This means a claimed WLTP maximum of 390 miles on the long-range model and 267 miles on the standard. For the hatchback this drops down to 367 and 255 miles respectively. Performance? The 150 kW motor will apparently be good for 0-62 mph in 7.4 seconds in this EV costing £30,500 (€37,000).

The EV4’s charging will be 10-80 percent in as little as 31 minutes if you find the right charger, and inside you get a typically attractive Kia interior that’s been set up to at least attempt to alleviate some boredom while topping up mid-trip. Rest Mode will set the front-row relaxation seats back, as well as activate a “mood lamp to create a comforting atmosphere”. The 12.3-inch, 5.3-inch and 12.3-inch screens that make up the EV4’s 30-inch wide-screen display are brought to bear with in “Vehicle Smart TV”, where YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, games and karaoke are on tap—plus there’s support for 21:9 aspect ratio and a “Theatre Mode” which brings in interior mood lighting and the eight-speaker sound system into play. Trunk space is 490 liters (435 for the hatch), but the opening to get in there is surprisingly tight.

Safety kit highway driving assist and forward collision avoidance, and there’s also an assistance system called the “Driver Package F+”, which uses camera and radar to warn of hazards ahead. And mercifully a steering wheel button allows you to mute the speed-warning beeps and bongs with one touch.