Kia EV3 Review

​Range

The Kia EV3 is good for a WLTP range figures of 267- or 372 miles respectively, depending on battery size. As for real-world range and efficiency? Well, in really warm weather I was getting close to the claimed range in the big battery EV3 that we tested, but the cold British weather is a different matter – especially as a heat pump is a £900 option, and only available on the top-spec EV3 GT-Line S model. Having said that, Kia really has gone to great lengths to make the EV3 as efficient as possible, with active aero flaps that open and close at the relevant speeds to improve aerodynamics, among lots of other clever details.

In everyday, real-world running we’d expect to see around 3.3- to 4.0 miles per kWh, which is good for roughly 250- to 312 miles in the big battery car, or 170- to 220 miles from the smaller battery. Cold weather and higher speeds will see the lower end of those estimates, while warmer weather and more modest speeds will see the EV3’s efficiency improve – as is the case with every electric car. Check out our guide on how to plan a long drive in an EV, right here.

Battery

You can have either a 55- or 78 kWh usable capacity lithium-ion NMC battery, in the Kia EV3. You'll see in all the material on Kia's website that it states 58- and 81.4kWh capacities, but these are the total (also known as gross) capacity figures. Every modern EV battery keeps a small percentage of its cells dormant, as it helps with battery performance and longevity, but here at Electrifying.com we always give you the usable battery capacity, as that's what you will actually charge and discharge, and that's the figure that you can use to accurately work out your charging costs and efficiency.  

If you want to know more about lithium-ion NMC batteries you can read our guide, here, where we talk about the pros and cons of lithium-ion NMC batteries vs the other most common battery chemistry – lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries – which you’ll find in rivals like the BYD Atto 3. 

Charging

Rapid charging speeds are up to 120kW on the smaller battery EV3, or that rises a fraction up to 128kW for the bigger battery car. That means a 10-80% charge in around 30 minutes for the 58kWh EV3, but you’ll be waiting more like 40 minutes for the same charge in the 81.4kWh car. Both will manage a 100-mile top-up in around 15 minutes, which is probably a more relevant metric for most EV drivers. Still, it's worth pointing out that rivals like the VW ID.3, Volvo EX30 and Cupra Born charge more quickly.

Most people will charge their electric car at home, where a normal 7kW wallbox charger will fully charge the Kia EV3 in between nine- and thirteen hours depending on which battery you’ve gone for. 

​Vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging is standard on the EV3, so you can run any normal electrical device from the EV3’s domestic three-pin socket. Great for keeping those drinks cool in the fridge when you’re camping, and it's something I use a lot when I'm out and about filming car reviews for Electrifying.com. Definitely one of those neat functions that you didn’t know you needed, but won’t want to live without when you’ve had the convenience of running any electric from the car’s high voltage battery.