In October last year, Kia showed its new EV5 two-row electric SUV for Asian markets as part of the Hyundai Group’s first EV day in Seoul, South Korea. A ‘Honey I shrunk the crossover’ version of the EV9, the EV5 hit the market in three trims. The entry-level version packs a 64-kilowatt-hour battery pack juicing a 214-horsepower front motor; a long-range version pairs an 88-kWh pack with the same motor; and a dual-motor, AWD variant is expected to make 308 hp combined and provide a 404-mile driving range on the CLTC cycle. The automaker mentioned an EV5 GT on the way, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (via Autohome (translated)) has put that trim online, adding a few specs to help us figure out where the EV 5 could fit were it to come here.
We knew the CUV was about the size of a Kia Sportage. The MIIT listed the dimensions as 181.7 inches long, 73.8 inches wide, and 67.5 inches tall, on a 108.2-inch wheelbase, making the EV5 about two inches shorter, a half-inch wider, with a roof six inches lower than the Sportage, on a wheelbase less 0.6 inch smaller. Asymetric output from the dual e-motors has the front unit peaking at 215 hp and 229 lb-ft., the rear contributing 98 hp and 125 lb-ft., for a combined maximum output of 313 hp and 344 lb-ft. The additional output can’t make any difference in the seat of the pants compared to the standard AWD, especially given that the EV5 GT is listed as weighing 4,916 pounds. The weight tracks, seeing as Kia Thailand claims the single-motor EV5 Long Range weighs 4,475 pounds. On that output, however, we’re wondering if there wasn’t a mixup somewhere in the MIIT pipeline that ended up with this labeled as an EV5 GT instead of the EV5 GT-line.
Rolling stock is said to be 20-inch wheels wearing 255/45 tires, a step up from the 19-inchers on the Long Range that wear 235/55 rubber. Further look-fast tweaks include black trim and gloss black inserts all around the crossover, plus color-coded trim replacing the silver finishes on the standard ride.
The EV5 GT is anticipated to hit the Chinese market later this year for the equivalent of about $20,000 U.S. It’s possible the model makes it to a North American market that isn’t the U.S., at least not until U.S. production is put in place — which Kia’s said nothing about — in order to take advantage of federal incentives. The go-fast EV we’re waiting on next from Kia is the EV9 GT, said to be here early next year.
