A new electric vehicle has arrived in Australia, offering Australians more choice on the brand and type of electric vehicle they can purchase.
After making its global debut at the 2023 Kia EV Day, the pre-production EV5 display vehicle arrived in Australia. Kia Australia will provide a first local look of its soon to be launched, full electric medium SUV.
The Kia EV5 vehicle will be the first Kia Australia product to be sourced from China, eliminating competition with Europe for supply.
This follows news that EVs and hybrids made up almost a quarter of all new vehicles in March.
All EV5 variants have received Kia Australia’s local R&H suspension and steering tune.
The Kia EV5 will be sold in Australia in a mixture of variants meeting the needs of a diverse range of customers and budgets. Launching locally in June, the range will initially be available in Air and Earth trims only, with the top GT-Line model arriving in the fourth quarter.
Both standard and long-range batteries along with Front Wheel Drive (Single Motor) and All Wheel Drive (Dual Motor) drivetrains will be offered. Application by variant will be announced closer to launch.
The Kia EV5 will be the first right hand drive product supplied by the Kia factory in China (Yancheng city, Jiangsu province). Other firsts provided by the Chinese sourced EV5 includes a dedicated EV platform called N3 eK which is a modularised front and rear chassis (different to the EV6 & EV9 E-GMP) and it also utilises a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery for high-efficiency.
Kia Australia’s chief executive office, Damien Meredith outlined the benefits of the new range.
“Kia Australia is confident the EV5 will suit the needs of many new car buyers who now more than ever, are considering the move into a full battery electric vehicle,” Meredith says.
“Sourcing Australia’s stock from the China factory allows us to launch earlier and secure supply of up to 850 per month which is needed to target mainstream appeal.
“The EV5 continues our commitment to growing Kia’s electric vehicle offering with a package that will appeal to both private and fleet buyers.”
Features of the EV5
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tuning ensures the EV5 is calibrated for Australian roads, traffic conditions, lane markings, speed signs, parking spaces and other configurations.
- Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) testing and development of all features to ensure quality and reliability of Over the Air updates available across all EV5 variants.
- Charging: Testing and developing for Australia’s public charging infrastructure across Greater Sydney and the ACT to ensure compatibility with EV5.