Kia EV2: Everything We Know

The small and cheap EV2 will arrive in 2026, but it's not expected to come to the U.S.

Kia EV2 (2026), the Motor1.com render

Photo by: Motor1.com

Eric Loveday

By: Eric Loveday

Updated: Feb 1, 2025 at 6:40pm ET

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Kia's electric car range will soon be bolstered by new models. Following the arrival of the new EV3 compact, the smaller and cheaper EV2 will join the family as well to bring even more affordable options to the electric segment. The EV2 electric crossover will be the brand's first car developed specifically for the European market.

Kia has previously said that the EV2 will be on sale in force in early 2026. Now, a recent report in the Korean Economic Daily confirmed this, saying that the EV2 will be built in its Slovakia plant late this year with a goal of ramping it up to 100,000 units annually in 2026.

Kia has big plans for the EV2, including to retake electric sales from new Chinese rivals moving quickly into Europe. It could soon account for nearly 20% of Kia's sales in Europe.

Gallery: Kia EV2 (2026) Renders

Kia EV2 (2026), the Motor1.com render

Source: Motor1.com

What Will It Look Like?

Our rendering gives a glimpse of the future Kia EV2. The new small Korean electric car will have a design inspired by that of the brand's large battery-powered cars, specifically the EV9 and then adopted by the EV3.

In particular, the front light clusters with their sickle-shaped light signature should be found on the EV2, combined with a squared hood positioned under a very vertical windscreen. The overall length should be about 13 feet, or some 12 inches shorter than the EV3. The EV2 should be a perfect fit for European cities.

How Much Range Will It Have?

The EV2 should feature specs comparable to the small Hyundai Inster, the EV2's "sister." We expect the EV2 to have two different battery packs: one with 42 kWh of capacity featuring lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and the other with 62 kWh of capacity featuring nickel-cobalt-manganese (NMC) chemistry.

According to the WLTP cycle, the range should be 186 (42 kWh) or 273 miles (62 kWh).

How Much Will The Kia EV2 Cost?

Depending on the version, pricing is expected to be between £17,000 and £25,000, or about $22,000 to $33,000.

"The LFP battery-powered EV2 will be priced between 20,000 euros ($29,000) and 30,000 euros to better compete against Chinese EVs, which have rapidly grown their share of the European EV market from 2.9% in 2020 to 18.2% in the first half of 2024 thanks to a flurry of affordable models," the Korean Economic Daily reported.

Pricing estimates for the NCM-powered EV2 have not been disclosed, but it is expected to be more affordable.

The Competition

When it goes on sale, the new Kia EV2 will be part of the resurgent European A-segment, which is now home to some key new models, including the Citroën C3, Fiat Grande Panda, Dacia Spring and Hyundai Inster.

Among other things, it should compete against the BYD Dolphin, Volkswagen ID.2, Peugeot e-2008 and the Mini Cooper Electric, among other options.

Where Will It Be Sold?

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung made it clear that this is a European-only car, stating, "We don't plan to release the model in Korea, but may consider it later depending on market conditions," he said.

What do you think?

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Comments

Due to its size and tariff considerations, there is near-zero chance of it being sold in the U.S.

When Will The EV2 Go On Sale?

The EV2 will be released in the European market in 2026. More details are expected to be released this year.