Although not groundbreaking, Kia's next dedicated electric car the EV7 is a true SUV that does everything that EV6 does but with more room inside that could seat up to 7-passengers.
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It’s official. The much-talked-about Kia EV7 midsize electric SUV is now confirmed to be going into production in April of 2023. Kia’s announcement on the future production plan included the official termination of the much cherished but underperforming Stinger by December 2022, which will be sold as the end of the line 2023 model in some countries. The production line of Stinger at Kia’s Sohari factory in Korea will be replaced by the new hybrid version of the Kia Carnival minivan. Another product that’s being added to the production line will be none other than the new EV7 SUV that will be the follow-up to the award-winning Kia EV6, which along with its sibling IONIQ 5, is capturing just about every car award available in the free world.
We will proceed with exploring what Kia has planned for the 2nd dedicated electric car of the EV series of electric cars, as part of the 14-model EV full-line up expected to be completed before 2027.
the shape is an unmistakably boxy and purposeful SUV with a taller and flatter roofline that’s clearly different from the more tapered look of the EV6. This is obviously to render as much interior space and headroom as possible
The second dedicated EV from Kia is internally known as MV, which stands for Medium SUV for M, and Kia EV for V, and sure enough, the new EV will be a full-fledged SUV, unlike the crossover EV6, which is actually considered a sedan by its codename of CV, that stands for Semi-medium sedan.
And although the official name designation has not been confirmed, it will most likely be called EV7, as the naming convention also dictates that odd numbers are to be SUVs and crossovers, and even numbers for sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks. Therefore, as seen from the spy photos, the shape is an unmistakably boxy and purposeful SUV with a taller and flatter roofline that’s clearly different from the more tapered look of the EV6. This is obviously to render as much interior space and headroom as possible, which was probably the only major shortcoming for the people that were looking for SUV-level of space in EV6.
Unlike the sleek coupe-like shape of the EV6, the EV7 has a distinctive SUV profile. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q)
Also as a proper SUV, its ground clearance and overall height are higher than that of the low-slung EV6 crossover. However, as far as the overall dimension of the new EV7 is concerned, it will be very similar to the EV6. Although most people are easily fooled by its sleek appearance that it’s a compact car, the EV6 has a long length of 4695 mm or 185 inches, and a wheelbase of 2900 mm or 114 inches, which is actually the same as the large 3-row Kia Telluride, the current king of Kia SUV, until of course the new EV9 comes out with the size equivalent to Chevy Tahoe. Accordingly, the new EV7 is expected to be a 3-row SUV, with the capacity to carry up to 7 passengers, very much like the bigger sibling Kia Sorento.
However, from the internal report that we have obtained, and evident from the rather compact appearance of the EV7 prototype as spied last year, the overall size won’t be quite as big as the Sorento, which measures 4,810 mm or 189.4 inches in length, and 1,900 mm or 74.8 inches in width. The size of the new electric SUV is in fact, actually closer to the new long-wheelbase Sportage that’s being released in North America, Australia, and the domestic Korean market, with the length of 4,660 mm or 183.5 inches.
The EV7 has the overall dimensions closer to the long-wheelbase version of the new Kia Sportage but has an interior volume closer to the larger Sorento. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q)
The latest bestselling Sportage compact SUV is actually not quite compact anymore, and became somewhat of an oddball in terms of classification, because the long-wheelbase version, has become so much bigger than the outgoing model, with the increase in the length by an incredible 180 mm or 7 inches. In fact, the new long-wheelbase Sportage is so large that it actually has more interior space than the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, which is supposed to be one segment larger.
For this reason, the EV7 would be the perfect sized SUV for those European buyers that thought that their version of the Sportage, which has a shorter wheelbase with smaller interior volume, wasn’t big enough.
The EV7, however, even despite having similar overall dimensions as the Sportage long-wheelbase, will have an interior space that’s as big as the midsize 3-row SUV Sorento. This is thanks to the EV7’s E-GMP dedicated electric platform with the characteristic flat floor and long wheelbase that offers a more efficient space design.
As an E-GMP based EV, the EV7 will also benefit from its unique features, such as the ultra-fast 800-volt charging architecture that could charge from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes, as well as the innovative V2L and V2G bidirectional charging system that draws power from its battery to power electronics, another EV, a whole house, or electric grid to sell back the excess electricity.
The EV7 is expected to share the same E-GMP-based drivetrain and the 77.4-kWh battery of the long-range EV6. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q)
As for the drivetrain, it will share a similar power electric system as the EV6. Unlike the EV6, however, it’s to be available as a long-range version only, with a 77.4 kWh battery good for up to 310 miles or 500 km as tested by EPA on the EV6. The actual range maybe even longer for the EV7, thanks to recent improvements in efficiency as seen in the products like IONIQ 6, which uses the same drivetrain and posted up to 650 km or 400 miles while being tested. For a 3-row SUV, the performance should be phenomenal as well, as a single-motor real-wheel-drive system produces 225 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque, and the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system puts out 321 hp and 446 pound-feet of torque.
With a similar power electric system as the EV6, the EV7 is expected to be a very fun-to-drive SUV. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q) (Kia EV7 Rendering by Gotcha)
In the most recent testing, the EV6 counterpart has achieved 0 to 60 mph time of just 4.7 seconds, which is even faster than the equivalent Ford Mach-E Premium, and Tesla Model Y Long Range, which was much more powerful and weighed significantly less. Although expected to be a bit heavier than the EV6, we anticipate the EV7 to accomplish the same run in the low 5 seconds range, to make it one of the fastest 3-row midsize SUVs in the market, along with offering the phenomenal class-leading handling prowess of the EV6, that pulled incredible 0.92 G at the skidpad. Furthermore, as a proper sports utility vehicle, the all-important towing capacity should be a whopping 1600 kg or 3,500 pounds just like the EV6.
As for the interior, the recently captured spy images of the EV7 in China revealed the interior for the first time. Although the model exposed is a very early prototype that’s actually using the Hyundai IONIQ 5 door panels, and roughly finished generic center console, as well as much of the important features being covered, it’s apparent that the overall size and ambiance match that of the long-wheel-base Sportage or Sorento. Also, the intel that we have received suggests that the EV7 will be the first Kia EV to receive the 14.5-inch LCD as part of the curved panoramic display. The 14.5-inch display is already being used in high-end Genesis products like the G80 sedan and GV80 SUV, but this will be the first application of such technology in mass-market brand Kia or Hyundai. If the LCD that’s more than 2-inches larger than the existing 12.3-inch ones used in the current EV6, and used in pairs to form a panoramic display, it would undoubtedly be one of the largest displays found anywhere in the mass market product realm.
This early prototype of the EV7 spied in China shows the interior for the first time. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q)
Another significant innovation applied to the new EV7, is expected to be the level 3 self-driving autonomy called HDP or Highway Driving Pilot, which is the same system that’s in the latest Genesis flagship G90 sedan, that utilizes 2 Lidar sensors for front and rear to provide the truly hands-free driving experience, and making the EV7 the first Kia car to have such advanced feature, improving on the level 2 system called Highway Driving Assist 2, found in the EV6 that only provide partial automation.
The EV7 will also come with the full OTA or over the air online update system, that can keep the software related to all functions of the vehicle updated via the internet, including an infotainment system with map updates and application enhancements, as well as the vehicle drive control systems that include feature upgrades and security patches related to the powertrain, chassis, and advanced driver-assistance systems or ADAS. The EV7 will come with no less than 21 ADAS related standard features including Blind Spot Avoidance System, Driver’s Attention Warning, and forward collision avoidance assist
The EV7 is expected to be built at Kia's US factory in Georgia along with the new Kia pickup truck. (For More Info: https://youtu.be/SGZw0UFqKkc)
The technology-filled EV7 is expected to be available from late 2023 or early 2024 in North America, and other western markets, at a relatively reasonable price of less than $50,000. Also, in addition to being built in Korea starting next year, there is a plan for production in Kia’s Georgia factory, as the US is expected to be the number one market for the EV7, and as Sorento is already being built there. Eventually, it will be built along the stunning EV9 large SUV to replace the Telluride SUV, which is also being built in the states, as well as the new full-size pickup truck newly codenamed TK, that’s expected to be available strictly in the US and Australia. Other markets, particularly the developing markets, will receive the Sorento-based midsize double-cab pickup truck to go against the likes of Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. For more information on the upcoming truck lineup, please refer to our previous episode.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/cIbKPxg8P-Q
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