Kia Seltos EV will reportedly use a 64 kWh battery pack and is expected to have a driving range of up to 400 km
Kia could be introducing the electric version of the Seltos sometime this year according to a report emerged on the internet. It will follow the Soul EV and Niro EV to become the brand’s third electric vehicle and is expected to use a 64 kWh battery pack with a 150 kW electric motor combination. The Kia Seltos EV will likely have an estimated driving range of around 400 km on a single charge.
Its range could be slightly lower than that of the Soul and Niro zero-emission versions. The sales of the Seltos EV could be restricted to Asian marketplaces and more specifically Kia’s home market of South Korea, India and China as Europe and the United States may not be in contention.
The production of the eco-friendly Seltos may commence from August 2020 in South Korea. However, the rumour surfaced towards the end of last year and with the ongoing chaos created by Coronavirus pandemic, the production could be delayed further as the automotive industry is facing lengthy shutdowns across countries.
While the Seltos EV could only be a pilot project in the western world reportedly, we do expect Kia to utilise the Seltos’ popularity to draw in more customers with the EV. Kia introduced the Seltos as its first product for India and it quickly rose to fame by becoming the segment topper in monthly sales by overtaking the Hyundai Creta.
The Seltos has also been well received globally with good reservation numbers in markets like the United States. The mid-size SUV is currently sold in three engine choices in India and the powertrains are shared with the recently launched second-generation Creta.
The rivalry between the Seltos and Creta will only intensify in the coming months following the lockdown ease. The new Creta gets a thoroughly upgraded styling as it stays similar to the ix25 sold in China and just as the Seltos, it is powered by 1.5-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
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