Kia’s Most Affordable EV Debuts Next Month

• Kia confirms it will unveil its smallest EV on January 9 in Belgium.
• The EV2 will slot below the EV3 in Kia’s lineup, entering a segment that will soon see many more models.
• Production of the EV2 will begin in Slovakia and ramp up through 2026.

There is a plethora of new small B-segment EVs coming to Europe. Some are already here, like the brilliant Renault 5 (or the slightly larger 4) and the Hyundai Inster, but more are on the way and one of the most hotly anticipated is the Kia EV2, which we now know will be revealed on January 9 during the 2026 Brussels Motor Show.

As its name implies, it will slot under the EV3 in Kia’s lineup and it will have a similar mini-SUV body style. The thinly-veiled production car in the teaser photos hints that the overall design will stay pretty close to the EV2 concept that previewed it, at least on the outside, because the interior will look nothing like the study’s and it will be closer in style and feel to the EV3’s.

Under its petite SUV body, the EV2 will ride on the same front-wheel drive version of the E-GMP platform, which is used in all of Kia’s bespoke electric models up to the EV5. It will come with two battery options: a smaller LFP pack in the base model and more capacity and NMC cells in the long-range variant.

The battery options will likely be smaller than what Kia offers in the EV3 (58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh), but larger than in the Hyundai Inster, whose big battery has a 49 kWh capacity. The EV2 will be a direct rival to its Korean stablemate, but since it’s not an adapted gas car, it should offer superior specs. That being said, I really liked the Inster, even despite its platform sharing with a gas variant.

The EV2 will be built in Slovakia and has been designed specifically for Europe (although it will likely also go on sale in South Korea and other markets). This would have made for a fine rival to the upcoming 2026 Chevrolet Bolt EV, but there’s no chance of seeing the EV2 reach the U.S., mainly due to tariffs.

The manufacturer recently commented on the upcoming model saying “This compact SUV delivers the innovation and the spirit of our larger EVs while fitting seamlessly into everyday life in Europe. Designed, developed, and soon to be produced in Europe, we are confident that the EV2 will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of responsible mobility across the region.”

It won’t be alone at the Kia stand in Brussels. Kia is using the venue to unveil hot GT variants of the EV3, EV4 and EV5, which should make these competent but somewhat dull-to-drive cars a bit more exciting. No word on a potential EV2 GT, but it would be the only model in the lineup without a hot version, so Kia may reveal that in the future.

Pricing in Europe is expected to start at around €30,000 ($34,800), which seems pretty steep for such a small car. The slightly larger Renault 4 starts at just under €30,000, although the Kia will probably have a roomier back seat, as well as better range and charging power. If the other front-wheel-drive E-GMP cars are anything to go by, though, it won’t be anywhere near as enjoyable to drive as its retro-inspired French rival, whose driving dynamics are surprisingly brilliant.