The Kia EV2 is the next EV I’m most excited about

Summary

Kia is readying the EV2 for launch sometime in 2026.
It promises to hit a sweet spot in size, price, and range, one that’s not very common in the EV industry.
Kia’s push for cheap(er) EVs could drive industry-wide momentum towards affordable electric vehicles.

Something that probably flew under your radar in February — unless you’re a close follower of electric vehicles — is Kia’s 2025 EV Day event, held in Spain. The centerpieces of the event were the EV4, confirmed to be coming to the US, as well as the PV5 van, which may or may not arrive stateside. With a tariff war underway, it’s hard to know for sure, although the van will at least be making its way to Canada. You’d be surprised at how many vehicles don’t show up south of Toronto.

The thing that really caught my eye, though, was Kia’s EV2 concept car. At least, it was a concept at the time — Electrek notes that a camouflaged version was recently spotted on public roads in South Korea, and Kia itself says it’s aiming for a 2026 launch of the final product. I’m genuinely excited about it, both for myself and the auto industry as a whole.

EVs are still waiting for their Model T moment

An EV for the masses is still a distant dream.

A car tailored to the real world

Strictly business

Kia

Although I do like a lot of the EVs currently on roads, the reality is that many of them are overkill for my needs. I’m not hauling bikes, furniture, or camping gear, on a regular basis, so I don’t need a Rivian R1T or F150 Lightning. For similar reasons, I can’t justify a VW ID. Buzz, and all of Tesla’s vehicles are essentially luxury cars in price and scope, not to mention their political baggage. I used to want a Model Y, but no longer.

One of the most popular form factors is the SUV, but I’m not really a fan of that, either. I live in the surburbs, and I’m usually only transporting my wife, son, or electric unicycle — even many crossover SUVs are excessive for my purposes, never mind something as boat-like as the EV9. I could potentially use the extra space in an SUV for trash runs or stops at Home Depot, but that’s why most cars have foldable seats.

It’s a perfect match for small families like mine — which seem to be an underserved market as EVs go.

The EV2 offers some of the cargo room of an SUV, but it’s otherwise very compact, closer in size to my wife’s Hyundai Venue. It should fit in a single-car garage, and won’t be awkward to parallel park on city streets, whether I’m going to a concert or picking my child up from school. It’s a perfect match for small families like mine, which seem to be an underserved market as EVs go, now that I think about it.

The price may even be reasonable. In 2023, Kia suggested that the EV2 would launch in the UK for about £25,000, or $32,000. The current tariff situation could drive prices up higher, but technological improvements might keep them in check, or even bring the end cost closer to $30,000. I am willing to pay extra for EV convenience, but not the $40,000 or more that’s all too commonplace. I’d rather pay for a hybrid like the Toyota Prius than break the $40,000 mark.

I’m skeptical of Kia’s claims about the EV2 delivering 300 miles (483 kilometers) of range or more, but even 250 miles would be fine. In a pinch, I could accommodate figures closer to 200 — I’m not driving to other cities or the Canadian Rockies on a weekly basis. For visiting friends and family back in Texas, planes and trains are always an option.

This is the cheapest EV you can buy new right now

You’re making some sacrifices to beat Tesla and Chevy on price.

The push towards affordable EVs

Can Kia be a magnet for the rest of the industry?

Kia

The EV2 suggests that Kia is fully onboard with the idea of a cheap(er) EV for the masses. I’m hopeful that it’ll pressure other automakers to follow suit, in tandem with similarly-priced vehicles like the Hyundai Kona Electric. Who knows — maybe even Tesla will join the parade someday, assuming it can survive the rapid plunge in its sales and stock value. I’d wager more on a $30,000 Volkswagen EV launching first, personally.

Most likely the EV2 will just be a significant step in the right direction, perhaps a signpost for others.

Some sort of forward momentum on price is essential. EV adoption is lagging behind earlier industry hopes, and cost is one of the major reasons, especially for underserved markets like mine. Automakers need to pick up the pace, at the very least to catch up with consumer demand and expectations. On top of that, though, automakers are already running into regional restrictions on gas vehicles, and anyone with a conscience should want fewer CO2 emissions to help slow global warming. With the US government now actively hostile towards slowing climate change, it may be on consumers around the world to steer things in a better direction. Certainly, EVs are already making major strides in China.

Kia

I’m not expecting the EV2 to be a global phenomenon, mind, even if it does launch in the US. Most likely it’ll just be a significant step in the right direction, perhaps a signpost for others to follow. The EV industry’s Model T moment still seems like it’s a few years off — although I’d love to be proven wrong on that point. Indeed, it’s likely to be a surprise when it does come, since I doubt anyone in 1905 could’ve predicted how many Model Ts would flood the streets three years later.