4 days ago
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The Kia EV2 concept previews the brand's upcoming electric city SUV – but it is "highly unlikely" for Australia as the model will be built in Europe.
Electric Cars
A concept previewing the Kia EV2 electric city SUV has debuted ahead of the production version's launch next year.
The Concept EV2 revealed at Kia's 2025 EV Day in Spain is a close look at the upcoming SUV, following the Concept EV5 unveiled at its first EV Day in 2023 and the Concept EV4 in 2024, which both previewed production versions of the EV5 and EV4.
However, the Kia EV2 – which will launch in Europe and some other markets in 2026 – is "highly unlikely" for Australia due to cost considerations as it will be manufactured in Slovakia, incurring a five per cent import tariff along with higher logistics costs to bring it to Australia.
"Kia Australia is keen to expand our product portfolio with as many EVs as possible, if they are appropriate for our local market," the brand said in a media statement.
"We would like to offer EV2 however, production out of Slovakia does present some hurdles when it comes to logistics and cost, so it is highly unlikely."
The Slovakian sourcing of the "Europe-only" Kia EV4 hatchback, which debuted alongside the EV2 concept, is also a roadblock for Australia with our market to receive the Korean-built EV4 sedan.
In 2024, Kia Australia product boss Roland Rivero said the brand "would like" to offer the EV2, but its country of origin would be a "barrier".
"EV2, we would like, but sourcing out of the Slovakian factory is pretty tough for a couple of reasons," Rivero said.
"One, we don’t have a free trade agreement with Slovakia and two, just the logistics of vehicle movement… in the past, when we had ProCeed [GT] and Sportage built in Slovakia, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience."
The EV2 will be a light SUV slotting below the EV3 small SUV and EV4 medium car – both confirmed for Australian showrooms – and an electric alternative to the petrol-engined Kia Stonic.
While the Concept EV2 is a close look at the final model, it is likely some show-car elements, such as the concept's rear-hinged doors with a missing central B-pillar, exposed front headlights without a clear cover, and missing door handles, won't make it to the production version.
The concept follows an evolved version of Kia's common 'Opposites United' design language – which has rolled out across most of its line-up with new-generation models and mid-life facelifts – with split LED daytime running lights also expected in the all-new Seltos debuting later this year.
Inside, the EV2 will inherit a dual widescreen setup for its instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen displays, while the concept features a cloth dashboard, blue upholstery, orange accents, and a white LED strip running across the front and rear door trims.
Its rear seats fold up rather than down – likely similar to the Honda HR-V's 'Magic Seats – which allows the front seats to slide back as far as possible for occupants to "relax in the seats, stretch out their legs, or even sit on the vehicle's flat floor to enjoy a meal" while it is parked.
Other amenities in the concept include pop-up sliding luggage dividers and straps, message lighting to display text through the front windows to communicate with pedestrians and other road users, and removable triangular speakers.
Kia has confirmed a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which is likely for the production model, to power external devices such as laptops, televisions, small appliances, or even another electric vehicle.
The EV2 is expected to be based on the lower-cost front-wheel-drive version of the Hyundai and Kia E-GMP electric-vehicle architecture – also used in the EV3, EV4 and EV5 – with support for 400-volt charging.
More details on the production version of the 2026 Kia EV2 will be confirmed closer to its market launch in Europe "and other regions" next year.
Electric Cars Guide
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
