Kia’s EV2 is Europe’s smallest and most affordable electric car

Kia has unveiled the EV2a small and affordable electric car designed for the European market. EV2 It debuted at the Brussels Motor Show, where executives described it as the “most compact” electric car yet.

Of course, this was another in a long line of affordable, capable, and impressively designed electric cars that wouldn’t be available to U.S. customers — at least not right away. This comes at a time when Europeans have many affordable options to choose from, which could complicate Kia’s EV2 strategy.

The EV2 will come in two versions: a standard range version, with a 42.2 kWh battery and a range of up to 317 km (197 miles) based on the WLTP cycle; and a long-range version with 61 kWh and a range of more than 440 kilometers (273 miles). The standard range EV2 will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/s in 8.7 seconds, while the long range car will do the same in 9.5 seconds.

The EV2 has a clean, square profile with sleek surfaces, long, straight proportions and distinctive LED daytime running lights at the front and rear, a clear reflection of Kia’s current design direction. When it arrives, it will be positioned below the EV3 and EV4, with the latter scheduled to enter production before the EV2. And like EV3the EV2 will be built on a powered version of Hyundai’s Electric Modular Platform (E-GMP) in order to keep costs low.

This means a 400V architecture, instead of 800V for faster fast charging. Kia says both versions of the electric cars will quickly charge from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes, which is a bit difficult compared to the 20 to 25 minutes it takes the EV6 and EV9 to do the same thing. In a first for Kia, the EV2 will support 11kW and 22kW charging, a nod to the dominant form of charging in Europe. The EV2 also supports bi-directional charging, as well as vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid charging.

But just because the EV2 is small and non-plush doesn’t mean it won’t have a few bells and whistles. Kia is stocking its new model with a host of ADAS features, such as adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking, as well as smart remote parking, allowing owners to park their cars from the outside using the key fob.

Kia says the standard-range model will go into production at its plant in Slovakia from February 2026, followed by the longer-range version and GT models in June 2026. This, combined with American car shoppers’ apparent disdain for small cars, means the EV2 is unlikely to go on sale here. It’s a shame too. Americans are more likely to respond favorably to a $20,000 electric car, as the EV2 is estimated to cost.