Kia confirms a performance electric car that could take on Tesla

Kia’s plans to rollout seven new electric vehicles (EVs) by 2027 will include a sporty model, according to the brand’s boss.

Speaking to international media, Kia president and CEO Ho-Sung Song confirmed the fun-focused battery-electric vehicle when asked about the brand’s performance car future.

“Yes, we are planning to launch the high-performance version of electrified models, including our first dedicated EV which will be revealed in the first quarter of this year,” he said.

We already know Kia’s next EV model will be based on the Hyundai Group’s E-GMP platform and share many similarities with the recently-teased Ioniq 5, but exactly what shape or name the hot EV or EVs will take is currently unclear.

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A shadowy teaser image released by Kia shows nine vehicles cloaked in shadow, with one of the two far-right models the most likely to be the electric sports car given their low stance and sloping roofline.

Whether this model ends up being a sedan like the Telsa Model 3 and Model S, or a coupe like the Roadster, is still uncertain, but given the Hyundai 45 Concept went on to inspire the Ioniq 5 and then the as-yet-named Kia EV, we’d wager the sleek Hyundai Prophecy could foreshadow Kia’s electric sports car in philosophy but not design.

What is clear though, is that this model will wear the newly-introduced Kia badge instead of being marketed under a performance or electric sub-brand, according to Mr Song.

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“This is under the brand of Kia; we will not use a sub-name and we are launching under the Kia brand,” he said.

Kia head of global brand and customer experience Artur Martins explained that the South Korean brand does not see value in a dedicated sub-brand for its performance vehicles like the Stinger because its philosophy to fun-to-drive cars is different from others.

“The high performance of Kia is about excitement to drive, it’s not so much in the N or M territory – to mention a different manufacturer – of being prepared for track,” he said.

“I think that’s an important difference, so all performance cars will not be track cars … but (instead) consumers can experience and be excited to drive using it in that daily life to go to work, to go visit their parents and to travel with the family.”