Kia's First Electric Car Was Given An Improvement In Performance At Affordable Prices

Kia Ray EV facelift. (Doc. Kia)

JAKARTA - Kia, an automotive brand from South Korea, has been a pioneer in the development of electric vehicles over the past few years. In 2011, they introduced Ray EV, a small mass-produced electric car at low prices, and since then, Kia has committed to strengthening its position as a leader in presenting models with the latest technology.

Ray EV was the first electric car mass-produced by Kia, before the Soul EV was launched. Despite more than ten years of existence, Ray EV continues to experience significant technological developments.

Recently, Kia announced plans to start production again by Ray EV for the South Korean market. This light car has a length dimension of 3,600 mm and a width of 1,600 mm. The facelift version of this car will be on the market this summer, as reported by InsideEVs, Wednesday, August 23.

Since the facelift was launched in 2017, Kia Ray EV has undergone many changes including a major increase in powertrain.

This model is now equipped with an LFP battery with a capacity of 35.2 kWh, which is a more than double increase compared to the previous model which only had a capacity of 16.4 kWh. As a result, Ray EV now has a longer distance, reaching 205 km in one charge. Its charging capability has also increased dramatically, with a DC charging capability of 150 kW which allows charging from 10 to 80 percent in just 40 minutes.

Kia Ray EV also experienced an increase in performance with an electric motor measuring 86 dk and a maximum torque of 146 Nm. Despite these various changes, Kia still offers Ray EV at an affordable price.

The manufacturer will open a pre-order period starting August 24, with a public introduction plan on September 12. The price for the facelift version of Kia Ray EV is 27.7 million won or around IDR 320.4 million. This price is very competitive for an urban electric car.