Kia previews production-ready EV5 compact SUV

The baby EV9

It's only been five months since Kia revealed the concept version of the EV5, but now the all-electric compact SUV has evolved to its production form.

Kia held a preview of the production EV5 at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. And yes, it still looks like the flagship EV9 at 90% scale.

The Korean manufacturer isn't quite ready yet to reveal full details of its latest all-electric crossover, but it's clear that Kia wants to establish the “Opposites United” design language for its growing family of all-electric vehicles.

The EV5 has the traditional upright proportions of an SUV with well-sculpted bodywork. And much like the EV9, the light signatures both at the front and rear dictate the identity of the EV5 on the road.

Inside, Kia showed a fully developed but significantly toned-down interior for the EV5. As expected, the swiveling seats in front have been replaced with conventional ones, while a pair of large screens dominate what's basically a minimalist dashboard design.

The EV5 also has a panoramic sunroof, while other images suggest the production-ready version is set to have fold-flat second-row seats to maximize cargo volume.

While Kia did not disclose the specifications of the EV5, leaked MIIT information suggests the EV5 for the Chinese market will get a 214 HP, 310 Nm electric motor. Since the EV5 will be built in China, reports also say Kia is expected to utilize BYD's Blade LFP batteries that could give the EV5 over 600 km of driving range in its long-range variant.

More information should become available in the coming months, as Kia plans to roll out the EV5 in the Chinese market before the year ends.