New Kia EV2 proves it can push the range barrier

When it comes to rolls, few can beat the one that Kia is currently on. The Korean car maker seems to have hit on a winning recipe right across its model range. Whether you’re looking to lease a big car or a small car, it’s highly likely you’ll find a suitably impressive option sporting a Kia badge. Nowhere is this more obvious than its growing range of EVs, and if the numbers coming out of the new Kia EV2 are any indication, it’s going to have another hit on its hands.

The EV2 is Kia’s second fully electric model to be produced at Kia’s European plant in Slovakia, and it was recently put through its paces on something called the El Prix Test Drive, a brainchild of the Norwegian Automotive Federation (NAF).

While technically being a specifically Norwegian test, it does offer a useful indicator to compare EV performance under identical real-world cold weather driving and charging conditions, with this year’s winter edition being the coldest on record, with temperatures dropping to -31°C.

The Kia EV2 will eventually feature a range of battery options, with the 42.2kWh standard-range battery version already in production. That entry-level version is set to be joined by a 61.0kWh long-range battery version and a more dynamic ‘GT-line’ variant that will extend the model lineup.

For reasons relating to the fact it’s not technically a production model, the EV2 ‘GT-Line’ had to be defined as a “prototype” so the result couldn’t be included in the NAF’s official report. Not that Kia was going to let that prevent the EV2 from tackling the route alongside the official programme and in the same conditions as its EV rivals. The tested EV2 ‘GT-line’, equipped with a 61.0kWh long-range battery and 19-inch wheels, was driven for more than five hours in extremely cold conditions in Norway’s mountainous Jotunheimen region, where winter temperatures of around -20°C aren’t even low enough to raise an ice-encrusted eyebrow.

Shrugging off the sub-zero temperatures of the coldest-ever edition of the test, the long-range EV2 prototype achieved an impressive 192 miles in one of the world’s most demanding EV tests.

Although WLTP figures are yet to be finalised, Kia’s target range for an EV2 with the larger battery pack and 19-inch wheels is a little over 250 miles. That places the cold weather performance within 25% of its expected range, outperforming the official participants to place the EV2 ahead of the competition, regardless of its “prototype” status.

EV2 - a quick charger, too

The EV2 also held its own on the charging front too.

Built on Kia’s 400V E-GMP architecture, the rapid DC fast charging capability allowed the EV2 to charge from 10-to-80% in 36 minutes, just six minutes longer than the official figure, despite the freezing conditions.

Based on these test results, you’ll be effectively immune to range anxiety in the much more temperate climate the UK has to offer, and the charging performance even in such extreme conditions just further highlights the EV2’s everyday usability.

The rest of the Kia EV2 package will add even more to that already impressive performance when it launches in the UK this summer.

A compact hatchback boasting contemporary styling and subtle SUV touches in the bumpers and wheel arches, plenty of practical (and flexible) space for both people and things, and the efficiency, instant performance, and low running costs of an all-electric powertrain.

It will feature Kia’s latest infotainment system with smartphone connectivity and over-the-air updates, and loads of technology features, including 360-degree parking camera, and a remote parking assist that lets slide the EV2 in and out of tight spaces using just the key. It’s even got puddle lamps that project the logo onto the ground, just like some of those posh car brands that cost a whole lot more to lease.

Granted, some of those features will only appear on range-topping models, but it’s a pretty safe bet to suggest there won’t be many alternatives in its class that can match the levels of technology Kia has crammed into the EV2. Kia is yet to confirm full details for the new EV2 ahead of its UK launch.

Having said that, it’s highly likely you’ll be looking at a choice of the standard or long-range battery pack, alongside the usual Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S trim levels, and list prices starting around the mid-£20k region, rising to mid-£30k for range-topping variants.

We'll have to wait and see what Kia confirms in terms of pricing and technical specifications, but with the EV2 expected to arrive in the UK in June, it’s unlikely you’ll have to wait too long to discover even more excuses to lease a new Kia for yourself.