TAIPEI, Taiwan – Kia’s now-famous Electric Vehicle (EV) Day is now closer to our shores following last week’s celebration at the Taipei Performing Arts Center, the first-ever in the Asia-Pacific.
The island nation is one of the top markets in the region, which also covers the Philippines. Making its debut at the 2024 EV Day was the Concept PV5, a battery-electric commercial vehicle that is targeted for use in passenger transport, cargo delivery, and pop-up businesses.
Also present was the striking Concept EV4, a battery-electric hatchback that features a sedan-like rear end. Projected to cost between $39,000 and $52,000 (around P2.28 million to P3.05 million), this future model is expected to take on the likes of the popular Tesla Model 3.
The lineup forms part of Kia’s transition into a mobility provider, with the South Korean company saying that EV demand globally is expected to reach 36 million units by 2030.
Future EV Express?
The Concept PV5 serves as a preview to Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle, which will be the company’s first major entry into the commercial EV segment.
The model on display featured an enormous, boxy shape that incorporates attractive styling elements like LED daytime running lights mounted atop a nearly-flat snout. These compliment the gently sloped windshield and the large glass area with suicide doors (likely to become sliding doors in the production model).
Other notable features include the full-size glass roof and LED matrix displays on the front and rear that can be used to display messages and route information. Inside, the Concept PV5 Passenger sports a light and airy cabin with multiple rows of seats.
Kia said there is also a Concept PV5 Cargo variant with blanked-out rear windows. It is available in Compact (4,500 millimeters long), as well as Long, Walk-Through and High-Roof variants (all 4,700 millimeters long), with the last one offering 1.8 meters of interior height.
The PV5 is expected to go into production sometime 2025.
Trunks still cool
Meanwhile, the Concept EV4 previews what is expected to be Kia’s first non-crossover EV in its current lineup.
The car’s styling deviates heavily from the likes of the EV3 and EV9, particularly the blade-style LED daytime running lights and aggressive chin spoiler. But most striking are the auxiliary brake lights atop the steeply raked rear windshield – and despite the lengthy tail and prominent trunk spoiler, the Concept EV4 is a hatchback (a more popular choice in Europe).
Inside, the spacious five-door cabin incorporates peach and light-gray upholstery, while features like the center table and the full-width digital display will likely be included in the production model slated for 2025.
Korean hybrid revolution
Kia Asia-Pacific president Ki Seok Ahn also announced at the event that the company will introduce two more hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) by 2026, bringing the total to eight.
He added that electrified vehicles, which include EV, HEV and plug-in HEV models, will compose 2.48 million units or around 58 percent of Kia’s annual sales by 2030. As of press time, the company produces HEV variants of the Niro, Sportage, Carnival, and Sorento, as well as plug-in HEV models of the Niro, Sportage and Sorento.
Electrified vehicles are a growing market in the Philippines, helped by generous government incentives like number-coding exemption and reduced import duties. The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. said 10,602 electrified vehicles (including HEV and plug-in HEV) were sold in 2023 and are expected to exceed 12,000 units this year.
Given that this year’s EV Day is in our neck of the woods, can we expect more exciting electrified models from Kia on our roads soon?
