87 hp and 147 Nm on the front wheels
With only a few exceptions, compact electric city cars are virtually non-existent in Europe. However, Kia has had a smart offering in its model range for years in the electric city car segment: the Kia Ray EV. The Kia Ray EV has now been facelifted and not only gets a refreshed appearance, but also a completely new powertrain.
Kia recently released the first shadowy album showing a bunch of electric newcomers from the brand. This includes the compact electric SUV, probably called EV3. However, none of Kia’s announced new EVs are as small as the Ray EV, which Kia has been offering in its home country of South Korea for years. The Kia Ray EV is – you wouldn’t expect it – the electric version of the Ray. The Ray, built on the platform of the previous Picanto, but significantly more spacious and higher, was presented in 2011 and has been running for many years now. In 2017, the Ray was already subjected to the knife and last year the little Kia was again placed on the cutting table for a more thorough cosmetic procedure. Now the electric Kia Ray EV has also been updated. However, it does not stop at appearance adjustments.
The Kia Ray EV as it was launched in 2011.
Just like the Ray with petrol engines, the Ray EV may remind you of high kei cars as you may know from brands such as Daihatsu, Suzuki and Toyota. However, the Ray is significantly larger than such kei cars. It measures 3.6 meters in length and is 1.6 meters wide. However, with a height of 1.7 meters, it is remarkably high for its dimensions. That is good for the space supply. The Ray has been marketed as a more practical alternative to the one in South Korea Morning called Picanto. The sliding door on the right side further increases the ease of use of the small Kia. On the outside, the electric Ray EV actually benefits from the same changes as the Ray with 1.0 petrol engines. The Ray EV does have different alloy wheels, reminiscent of those available on the EV9, and a smoother nose. The charging connection is not located at the rear left, like the fuel flap, but centrally in the nose of the Ray EV.
Kia Ray EV: complete with a fairly mature interior.
For years, the Kia Ray EV had a 68 hp electric motor and a 16.4 kWh battery, good for a range of just under 140 kilometers. However, the updated Kia Ray EV will have a new powertrain. The 68 hp electric motor has been replaced by an 87 hp and 147 Nm unit, so the electric city friend just gets 28 percent more power. But there’s more. The 16.4 kWh battery makes way for a 35.2 kWh LFP unit. The capacity has therefore more than doubled. The Kia Ray EV immediately boasts an electric range of up to 233 kilometers. The Ray EV is available as a four-seater, but also as a two-seater with a larger luggage compartment and a rack to separate the luggage compartment from the front occupants.
Unfortunately, the Kia Ray – and the Ray EV – were not developed for Europe and are therefore not supplied by Kia in our part of the world. Do you consider that a loss? Would you like to see the Kia Ray EV as a small electric Kia in the Netherlands?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl