Kia Electric SUV Concept EV5 Unveiled
"Blurring the Boundaries Inside and Outside the Vehicle" to Launch Within the Year
On the 20th, Kia held the Kia EV Day at the Shanghai E-Sports Culture Center in China, unveiling the compact electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) concept EV5 for the first time. It offers a glimpse into the direction of the production model currently under development, aiming for a local launch within the year.
The company stated that the design philosophy embodies "Oppanet United," which creatively fuses contrasting concepts. The front features a strong impression with the Starmap signature lamp design inspired by constellations. The sides and rear have a box-shaped silhouette.
The efficient use of interior space also stands out. The front is equipped with a panoramic display consisting of three screens. The first-row seats and console are connected like a bench seat, allowing versatile use of the space. The console can move forward and backward to connect with either the front or rear seats.
The seats use a swiveling mechanism. The trunk space can be utilized as a table and deck. The company explained that they aimed to break down the boundaries between inside and outside the vehicle to provide a new experience.
The seats and door armrests use bio-polyurethane derived from seaweed, and the fabric seats are made from materials utilizing recycled plastics. Sustainability was emphasized by avoiding the use of animal leather throughout the interior materials.
Karim Habib, Head of Kia Global Design Center, said, "We were inspired by the contrast and harmony between natural landscapes and artificial architecture, presenting a vision of sustainable mobility that considers the environment while inspiring customers throughout every journey."
On this day, Kia held its first EV Day event for local Chinese media. Along with the concept EV5, videos of the high-performance electric vehicle EV6 GT and the soon-to-be-released large SUV EV9 were shown.
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