Honey I shrunk the Kia – the brand's smallest electric car revealed

The EV2 Concept hints at what we can expect from Kia’s upcoming compact electric car. Following the same design template as the larger EV9, the Concept EV2 is Kia’s answer to Hyundai’s Inster, expanding the choice of smaller, more affordable electric cars on offer. With the EV2 Concept Kia is setting its sights on younger audience living in urban locations and hopes a combination of big-car technology, boxy yet modern styling, and flexible use of space will encourage more buyers make the switch to electric.
• The EV2 will eventually arrive as a compact SUV making it the smallest EV in Kia’s line-up • The concept features reversed-hinged rear doors, a configurable interior layout, removable triangular speakers, and a screen displaying messages on the window • No word on range yet, though it will probably be around 200 miles • Expected to arrive in 2026 • It will likely start from around £24,000

The EV2 Concept takes Kia’s latest design language and condenses it into a smaller package to create an EV9 in miniature. The side profile has hints of the Jeep Avenger with chunky rubber wheel arches adding to the robust look. At the front the vertical daylight running lights follow what Kia calls its “Star Map signature” and while we’re not entirely sure it resembles a clear night’s sky, to our eyes it does look smart and modern. Another striking feature is the reverse-hinged rear doors, which open backwards like a BMW i3 or Mazda MX-30 and we hope these make it onto the production model.

The inside is currently very much a concept and despite the EV2’s petite proportions, the boxy shape gives Kia plenty room to experiment with. Sustainable materials, versatile seating arrangements, and futuristic mood lighting are all the order of the day. The metal strip across the dashboard incorporates wireless charging and a power outlet, while the rear seats can be folded up to allow the front seats to slide back, giving front passengers a lounge-like area to relax in. The EV2 Concept also allows you to communicate with your surroundings by writing text messages to appear in the car’s windows. Other features include removable triangular speakers, pop-up luggage dividers and straps to secure items. It will be interesting to see which of these features make it into the final car, though we expect over-the-air updates and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging will be available on when the EV2 goes on sale.

As this is a concept car, Kia hasn’t announced any specifics about batteries and range. However, the EV2 will share its underlying foundations with the Hyundai Inster, so we’d expect a range in the region of 200 miles and there’ll likely be a choice of standard or long-range versions.

Kia is expecting to have a production version of the EV2 on sale in 2026. So far it has not given an indication about pricing, but we would expect it to be similar to Hyundai’s Inster, which starts at under £24,000.

Kia is expanding its electric offering and the EV2 Concept made its debut alongside the upcoming EV4. The EV4 will be available as either a hatchback or saloon which will rival the Volkswagen ID.3 and Tesla Model 3 respectively. We are still waiting to hear more about the EV5 concept which was showcased at the last EV day. If this electric SUV makes its way into production, it will slot between the EV3 and EV9.

There’s recently been an influx of more affordable compact electric cars which straddle the line between hatchback and mini SUV. The EV2’s closest completion will come from its Korean cousin, the Hyundai Inster, yet buyers may also consider the Renault 4, Citroen e-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda.