Wednesday’s “Kia EV Day” saw the Korean brand reveal new electric vehicles: the Kia EV3, EV4, and EV5 concepts. The most significant is the EV4 Concept, an electric sedan with familiar styling, a segment-blurring body style, and a focus on sustainability.
Even at first glance, the EV4 clearly shares a bloodline with the current Kia EV6. However, the EV4 is a sedan, if an untraditional one, rather than a hatchback like the EV6. Since it’s still a concept, it features some funky bodywork, polygonal wheel arches, boxy front fenders, and body lines that were seemingly added at random. It’s a very sharp, edgy design that looks meant for the cyberpunk crowd. Its triangular wheels are fun, though.
The focal point is its interior. When choosing the materials for its cabin, Kia designers walked down the organic aisle at their local grocery store and just said, “Yes.” For example, the fabrics are made from 100% recycled cotton and are dyed using madder root and walnut shells. Hemp fibers were used to make the console shelf. The bio-plastics that are part of Kia’s 10 must-have sustainable materials are made from vegetable oil, corn starch, and sawdust, among other natural materials. Its carpets are made from recycled plastic and Kia says that customers can opt for some of that recycled plastic to come from old fishing nets.
Organic materials aside, the Kia EV4’s interior is open, bright, and airy, with a very horizontal theme to keep things relaxed. On the dashboard is a large, ultra-wide touchscreen infotainment system and digital gauge display, built into one. The steering wheel only has two spokes and is slightly octagonal. It looks very lounge-like and seems to have no plans for sporty driving.
Alongside the Kia EV4 was also the newly revealed EV3, a similarly designed crossover, and EV5 SUV. While all of the new Kias will focus on sustainability and recycled materials, the EV3 takes it to an entirely different level, as some of the materials aren’t made, they’re grown. For the center console of the EV3, Kia uses mycelium from mushroom roots.
Kia didn’t mention any battery, powertrain, range, or performance specs for the EV4, as it’s still just in the concept phase, nor did it give any information on which markets it will reach. However, it’s a good bet that all of its newly announced EVs are coming to the U.S. market, given Hyundai and Kia’s push to sell 1.6 million EVs in America by 2030.
Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com