Kia Confirms All-Electric Crossover with Porsche-Level Performance

By 2025, Kia plans to have 11 electric vehicles available globally. And one of those offerings, an all-electric crossover known only by its code name, CV, promises to provide performance on par with the Porsche Taycan.

Rumor has it that select versions of the electrified Kia will boast a 0-62 mph time of just three seconds.

Watch Out, Porsche—Kia’s New Halo EV is Coming.

The Taycan is an ultra-fast flagship electric vehicle (EV) from Porsche. While most current EVs use a 400-volt battery system, the Taycan employs am 800-volt configuration. That helps the 4S version of the sports car (with Performance Battery Plus) achieve a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds.

But even the entry-level (if you can call it that) 4S version of the Taycan costs over $100,000. The assumption is that, because it’s a Kia, the CV will carry a much more affordable price tag.

Of course, not all versions of Kia’s upcoming EV will be powerhouses. Several grades will be offered, one of which will be a high-performance variant. Kia Motors Europe COO Emilio Herrera toldAuto Express, “We will have in the new EV, a high-performance vehicle like an e-GT.”

It’s this “e-GT” model that promises to offer a Porsche-like 0-62 time of three seconds.

A 300-Mile Driving Range in Just 20 Minutes

When Kia first revealed the CV in January, it was confirmed that the crossover would have a range of around 300 miles. Getting a charge is expected to take less than 20 minutes using a 350-kW fast-charger. Though right now, there aren’t many 350-kW fast chargers (a typical fast charger produces around 50-60 kW) available across the United States.

But charging networks, such as Electrify America, are beginning to implement Infrastructure for quicker 150-kW and 350-kW chargers. Select vehicles, such as the Taycan and new Kia EV, will be able to take advantage of these quick-charging devices.

Concept Car-Inspired Design

Since it’s a Kia, the CV’s styling will be nothing like the swoopy and sporty design of the Taycan. You can expect the production version of Kia’s EV to look similar to the brand’s Imagine concept car, which debuted at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. 

That means the CV is likely to be a high-riding, four-door crossover sporting Kia’s signature “Tiger Nose” grille.

Will the Kia CV Come to the United States?

Kia recently announced that, during the first quarter of 2020, it sold a record number of EVs in Europe. As such, the automaker plans to make Europe the focus of its shift toward electrification.  

InsideEVs quotes Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, as saying:

“Many of Kia’s new EVs will be offered in Europe, which is currently the focal point for EV sales growth worldwide. We are encouraged by the early sales success of our current generation of EVs, the new e-Niro and Soul EV, which have been well-received by buyers across the continent. In every one of the last five years, we have reported growing sales of Kia EVs, and our next-generation models will accelerate this trend further.”

That leaves us wondering: Will the Kia CV come to the United States? We’ll have to wait and see.