Kia Cerato (K3) EV: Electric Version of Korean Sedan with Long Range
Kia K3 is the name of the Chinese version of the Cerato sedan, but this does not mean that we are dealing with a regular copy of the world model.
Sedan Cerato (K3) EV
In 2019, the Koreans introduced the fourth generation of the Kia K3 – a car with a “wild” exterior, and a year later the all-electric version of the Kia Cerato (K3) EV sedan entered the Chinese market.
Review of the new sedan
The car remained on the same platform, where the rear suspension is a semi-independent structure in the form of a torsion beam. The generational change added dimensions to the body, significantly expanded the options list and replaced several devices of the on-board system.
The Chinese specification K3 has become slightly larger than the global version of Cerato, which in turn has noticeably increased only in length (plus 60 mm). Dimensions of the Kia Cerato (K3) EV :
• Length — 4660 mm;
• Width — 1780 mm;
• Height — 1450 mm;
• Wheelbase — 2700 mm.
Design
The K3 sedan can surprise with its exterior, which turned the “modest Cerate” into a real “toothed beast”. These associations are evoked by the new radiator grille with large vertical slats, which evoke associations with the characteristic design of the front section of a modern Maserati sports car.
This decision deviates significantly from the style of the characteristic “tiger nose”, although the contours of the grille retain the shape of the “eight”.
Matching the front and rear sections, there is a stylish bumper with beautiful panels that imitate the exhaust pipes. The rear overhang looks very harmonious, and there was also room for a stylish black fake diffuser.
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The interior of the Chinese version of the Kia Cerato (K3) EV has some differences: they can be found in the design of the instrument panel and the air conditioning control panel (it is touch-sensitive).
The redesigned sedan also received a center display with an increased diameter, while the usual Cerato’s maximum size reaches 8 inches.
The rest, including the multifunction steering wheel, seats, door panels, and trim strips, remained unchanged, although dealers often order original colors of the interior for Chinese conversions.
Electrical modification
The Kia K3 EV is a single-engine sedan with a classic engine mounted above the front wheel axle. The power of the electric motor in terms of “horses” reaches 184 liters. with., and to power the horses, lithium-ion battery cells are used, which are housed under the cabin floor and in the trunk floor for better weight distribution.
The total capacity of the blocks is 56.5 kW h, which allows a driving distance of up to 490 kilometers (NEDC cycle) at 100% charge. An interesting feature of the electric version of the sedan is its almost complete similarity to a conventional modification with an internal combustion engine. The «toothed» radiator grille and even a replica of the exhaust pipes remained. This car communicates its belonging to the class of electric cars only with a blue decor on the bumpers and an EV emblem on the trunk lid.
Price of the new Kia Cerato (K3) EV
Prices for the Kia K3 EV start at $42,000 in China for the entry-level version with a range of 410 km – that’s around 55 percent more than the comparable gasoline model. The top model with a 56.5 kWh battery and long range is expected to sell for just under $50,000 when it goes on sale. Perhaps a similar model called the Kia Cerato EV will come to the European market in late .
