Asian Petrolhead Tries Kia Bongo 3 Electric Pickup Truck

This is the new BEV version of the small Kia pickup that is sold around the world under many names.

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Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

Mar 7, 2022 at 6:55am ET

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Kia has been building the small pickup that is now known as the Bongo, K-Series or Besta since 1980, but until now it was only available with ICE powertrains. Now the automaker has launched the Bongo 3 EV, the first ever electric version of it, and according to this in-depth look, it is actually useful and more than just a compliance vehicle.

Asian Petrolhead got behind the wheel of one purchased by the company he works for and at first glance, it looks like nothing special, just another Bongo with some different stickers on it, a closed off grille and no visible exhaust system. Its battery pack, split into two smaller packs, has a combined capacity of 58.8 kWh (around 54 kWh usable) and according to the manufacturer, it has a one-charge range of 131 miles (211 kilometers).

Topping up the battery from 10 to 80 percent takes about 54 minutes, according to the manufacturer, thanks to a peak charging speed of 100 kW, which is actually higher than some of Kia’s passenger EVs (the Niro EV and the Soul EV, which top out at 77 kW).

Unlike most modern electric vehicles, which have the motor installed on the axle that it powers, in the Bongo EV, the motor is actually in the front and it drives the rear wheels via a prop shaft. The motor itself is the same unit that Kia uses in all its models, although it is slightly less powerful than in models like the Soul EV that we recently reviewed.

What do you think?

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It makes just over 180 horsepower and 291 pound-feet (395 Nm) of torque and while it doesn’t make this pickup fast by quick car standards, it is certainly fast by small diesel pickup standards...

In Korea, this model costs the equivalent of about $36,000, but with the remarkably high incentives that it qualifies for, that drops to around $20,000, according to the reviewer. Would you like to see this Bongo EV or something similar on offer in the United States?