Kia has been making waves in the electric vehicle market recently. The company's latest offering is a new family-friendly compact electric SUV with a price tag that is comparatively affordable when stacked up next to similar EVs.
Kia's EV5 was just unveiled at the Chengdu Motor Show and will be first released in China later this year. The EV is similar in concept and design to the company's flagship EV9 SUV but slightly smaller.
While the EV9 is expected to cost around $60,000, the new EV5 has an anticipated price tag of only around $42,600, according to Electrek.
One of the most notable design features of the EV5 is the interior, which Kia touted as especially family-friendly.
"Research by Kia has revealed that millennial households now regard the interior of their EV SUV not just as a place to sit safely and comfortably when traveling from A to B, but as an additional 'room' to live their life in," the company wrote in a press release.
"To meet this challenge," it added, "[the designers] have endowed the EV5 with an extensive interior space that is closer in concept and execution to a home lounge than a traditional car cabin."
The interior of the EV5 will include variable mood lighting that can be controlled to a high degree of specificity, a rear bench that can fold completely flat, and adjustable heater controls.
Kia previously announced that it would continue to electrify its portfolio of vehicles, with a stated goal of making 40% of its cars eco-friendly by 2030. This new offering continues that mission.
Electrek's commenters were impressed by the design of the new EV5.
"That's a very nice looking car," wrote one commenter. "There are a lot of Hyundais and Kias on the roads in the US; people just need to be educated on just how good their BEV line is."
"I think it looks great, and I could easily see this being a perfect fit for families," wrote another. "I just hope there will be another trim that get an additional motor for AWD. Regardless, I see this being a success should the price be right."
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Cool Picks
