The Kia EV5 electric compact SUV, the brand's third electric vehicle based on the E-GMP architecture, has been leaked in China.
The photos published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and picked up by CarNewsChina fully reveal the EV5's exterior design, though it has to be said that the vehicle you see in the photos is for the Chinese market. Still, the Kia EV5 should look largely the same in other markets.
Remarkably, the production model looks very similar to the Concept EV5 unveiled in March, with only minor changes such as the adoption of traditional side mirrors, flush door handles – the concept had no visible handles – smaller wheels, and slightly revised headlights and taillights.
Speaking of the rims, while they retain the same design seen on the concept, they are 18- or 19-inches in size compared to 21 inches on the study.
From a design standpoint, the EV5 is closer to the Kia EV9 than the EV6, adopting an upright SUV body style instead of a raised hatchback look like the EV6. It looks like a downsized version of the EV9, which in many ways, it is.
Both models use the E-GMP EV-dedicated platform, but the EV5 is smaller, accommodating five passengers on two rows of seats instead of seven on three rows. According to information shared on MIIT's website, the Kia EV5 is 181.7 inches long, 73.8 in wide and 67.5 in high, with a wheelbase of 108.2 in.
This makes it roughly just as long and wide as the Kia EV6, although it's significantly higher and it has a 16-inch shorter wheelbase. The photos do not show the interior, but the production model's cabin is likely less futuristic than what we saw on the concept.
The MIIT filing also reveals that the Kia EV5 features an LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) Blade battery from BYD subsidiary Xiangyang Fudi Battery Co (FinDreams), which powers a rear-mounted electric motor rated at 215 horsepower (160 kilowatts) and 229 pound-feet of torque. No details about a dual-motor AWD variant have been released, but it's difficult to imagine Kia wouldn't offer it later on.
It's worth noting that the overseas version of the Kia EV5 may not feature an LFP battery; The Korean Car Blog previously reported that the EV5 would get an 82-kilowatt-hour NMC pack outside China, which would enable up to 373 miles of range.
The Kia EV5 will be produced in China by the Kia-Yueda joint venture at its plant in Yancheng. Vehicles made there will be sold in China and exported to some markets, as Kia-Yueda previously said the EV5 is its first China-made global EV.
The EV5 will officially debut on August 25 at the Chengdu Motor Show, but pre-sales will kick off in November.
