Kia is pushing ahead with plans for yet another EV, but this one will be unique as a new flagship halo model. We already have a good idea of what it will look like.
Is Kia launching the EV7 or EV8 as a new halo EV?
For the third straight year, Kia sold a record number of vehicles globally, but the brand has no plans of slowing down.
A big part of the South Korean automaker’s success is due to its growing lineup of all-electric vehicles. Kia’s electric lineup now includes entry-level models (EV2), compact (EV3), midsize (EV5), three-row SUVs (EV9), a crossover (EV6), a sedan (EV4), a hatchback (EV4 hatchback), and a van (PV5).
Now, it’s ready to add a new flagship halo model to its EV lineup, according to Kia’s head of advanced design, Jochen Paesen.
“We think it is the right time to explore these things,” Paesen told Auto Express when asked if Kia is ready for the new flagship model. Kia’s design boss also said we already had a sneak peek at it last month.
To celebrate its 80th birthday in December, Kia unveiled the Vision Meta Turismo Concept, deeming it “the starting point toward the new mobility we have all dreamed of.”
Paesen said that although the concept car is “not the only answer,” Kia still believes “it’s the right time to push these ideas, explore these ideas, work with these ideas, and find the answers.”
The concept paid homage to the 1960s era of log-distance touring, with a futuristic twist inspired by its latest “Opposites United” design theme.
After releasing its latest electric GT models, the EV3 GT, EV4 GT, and EV5 GT, Kia made it clear that it’s
“Performance” cars are more about just raw power.
“How do you create something that is more emotional and still has our core values?” Paesen asked. The Vision Meta Turismo “can be a performance machine, if that’s what you want, “but at the same time, how do you judge excitement in a digital world for those who have grown up in a digital world?”
This is where Kia believes it has the advantage with Opposites United. “It looks at many things; a more emotional form of language, and products that today we don’t have in our portfolio, but at the same time asks questions about how you use technology. Less screens, a richer experience,” Kia’s design boss explained.
While Kia has yet to announce an official name or really anything about the new halo EV, you can bet it will look very close to the concept from last month.
All of Kia’s production EVs have launched with nearly identical designs to their concepts. When it arrives, the new flagship EV is likely to launch as the EV7 or EV8. Kia has already trademarked the name and plans to build a full lineup, from the EV1 to the EV9. According to Auto Express, it could also arrive as the electric Stinger successor, carrying its name into a new era.
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