Kia did a whole livestream outlining its transformation into a full-on mobility solutions provider. The Korean brand has shown that it intends to offer something for everyone whether it’s to use for personal mobility, driving enjoyment, carpooling, car sharing, or mass transport. During that livestream, we got a quick glimpse of its new dedicated all-electric crossover, which is code-named CV.
The segment, which has been separated into a separate one-minute video called “Brand Manifesto,” outlines Kia’s promise to inspire consumers and promote sustainable mobility. It shows various people finding revelations as they move through the city, look out of their homes, hike through the wilderness, and while drawing to pass time during a drive.
That last scene where the child sees a robot among the trees is a crucial turning point because a few seconds after that, the camera pans out showing a car driving on the road. Look closely and you’ll notice that vehicle is the Kia CV, the yet-to-be-named dedicated EV crossover that the Korean brand announced initially when it first outlined its Plan S strategy. This will be the first of 11 EVs in total. From what we can tell, the rear took influence from the Futuron Concept with its full-width taillights and coupe-like roofline. On the longer 20-minute video, you’ll immediately notice the CV looks more like a low-slung hatchback giving it a hunkered-down appearance. The back, on the other hand, appears to have been saved from the hunchback treatment. Based on these quick glimpses, there’s no doubt that the Kia CV will look striking.
From what we know, the CV will be one of the first three EVs to go on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP architecture. The other two will be the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and a Genesis model code-named JW. The total driving range on a single charge is around 500 km or 310 miles according to Kia. High-speed charging will also allow you to fully replenish the battery in just 20 minutes. The CV will also be the first global model to wear Kia’s new logo.
“We want our products to deliver an instinctive and natural experience that can improve the daily lives of our customers,” explained Karim Habib, senior vice president and head of Kia’s Global Design Center. Our aim is to design the physical experience of our brand and to create original, inventive, and exciting electric vehicles. The ideas of our designers and the purpose of the brand are more connected than ever, with our customers at the center of what we do.”
Kia is targeting a 6.6-percent share of the global electric vehicle market by 2025 and aims to grow annual sales to 500,000 EVs by 2026. The Kia CV will debut in the first quarter of 2021 but there is no set date yet.
