- A sportier EV2 GT could be on the horizon.
- It would be Kia’s only GT without all-wheel drive.
- Standard EV2 uses a 42.2 kWh battery and 145 hp.
The unveiling of the EV2 in Brussels marks another step in Kia’s relentless expansion into the electric market, and it could easily become one of the brand’s biggest hits. Aimed at the new Renault 4, the EV2 draws on proven tech and echoes the design language of Kia’s larger electric SUVs. There’s also the possibility of a full-bore GT version joining the range.
Read: Kia’s EV2 Is Like A Renault 4 Without The Nostalgia
Kia has so far confirmed the EV2 will be offered as standard with a compact 42.2 kWh battery pack and a 145 hp electric motor driving the front wheels. With a claimed range of 197 miles (317 km), it’ll be best suited to urban dwellers and those who can charge at home.
Soon after, a GT-Line version will arrive, featuring a larger 61 kWh battery and a potential range of up to 278 miles (448 km). Kia hasn’t yet confirmed how much power the upgraded model will offer.
Is a Hot GT Variant in the Works?
A fully-fledged GT version would sit above these models in Kia’s line-up, and could serve as a rival to the Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI, albeit in a slightly larger package than the German hatchback. When asked by Autocar about the possibility of such a version, Kia Europe’s planning chief Alex Papapetropolous didn’t rule it out.
“At launch, we’re going to have Air and Earth trims, with GT Line following in June,” he said. “Of course, we’re looking at life-cycle animations on EV2, and it’s a segment that customers are very keen and receptive to have those life-cycle updates in, so we’re looking at adding more trims in the future.”
No AWD, No Problem?
If an EV2 GT is released, it will be quite different than Kia’s other electric GT models. Kia hasn’t engineered the car to support all-wheel drive, meaning it’d have to stick to front-wheel drive. That’s not the end of the world, but it does mean it wouldn’t be able to match the EV3 GT and EV4 GT, both rated at 282 hp, and would likely land closer to the 200 hp mark.
Kia would also have to reduce torque steer as much as possible. The front-wheel drive EV5 we drove last year was riddled with torque steer with its 215 hp and 229 lb-ft (310 Nm), and an EV2 GT would have far less weight to move.
