Kia Motors is working on a new electric vehicle for its global portfolio and is using the codename SP2 EV for it. The codename, however, is of no use now if the company wanted it to be a camouflage for its upcoming make, as new reports doing the rounds on the Internet reveal that the upcoming EV by Kia Motors is none other than an electric Seltos SUV.
Many in India can relate to the name of the new SUV which marked the debut of the South Korean auto maker in the country. Since its launch, the Kia Seltos has been topping the sales chart in its segment and has become the consumer favourite in no time, beating another new entry - MG Hector to the spot. Read all about our experience with the capable SUV here. Or you can watch it here:
The success of the vehicle is enough for the company to forecast that just the petrol and diesel versions of the SUV are not good enough. An electric variant should probably be introduced and that is just what the firm is now working on. It is expected that Kia Motors will not wait for too long before debuting the electric Seltos and might just do so in the coming months. The expectations arise from the fact that the electric Seltos has already been spotted doing test-runs on the roads.
As for the make, the electric iteration of Seltos will share the same underpinnings as the IC engine makes. In fact, the reports indicate that even the body panels and much of the interiors will remain the same. Though you can expect some design tweaks and highlights on the electric variant to distinguish it, as Tata Motors did with the Nexon EV recently.
As for the electric powertrain to power the SUV, the Seltos electric might come with the same motor as the one seen on the Soul EV or the Hyundai Kona EV for that matter. In numbers, the report indicates a 152 kW (204 hp) electric motor and a 64 kwH battery pack on the Seltos EV. The range of the SUV will stand anywhere around 400 km on a single charge.
Interestingly, Kia Motors is expected to introduce the Seltos electric in its home market first, followed by India prior to launching it in its western markets including the US and the UK. The fact that the company has two production plants for the Seltos in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India, and in Gwangju, Korea points to a strong argument for this. This is also the same launch pattern as observed for the regular variants of the Seltos in November. However, Kia Motors has not provided any official confirmation for the same yet.