Kia Ray EV Enhanced With Increased Performance And Extended Range

author: FutureCar Staff    

Kia is set to unveil new electric models on Kia EV Day later this month. In the meantime, let's take a look at the recently updated Kia Ray EV, a smaller electric vehicle available exclusively in South Korea. This facelifted version comes a year after the updated ICE-powered Ray with a new electric powertrain.

The Ray is a practical alternative to the Morning (also known as Picanto) in Kia's Korean lineup. Introduced in 2011, it has received facelifts in 2017 and 2022, with the latest update aiming to make it more appealing to buyers and extend its availability for a few more years.

Under the hood, the Ray EV boasts significant changes, including a new electric motor producing 86 hp and a larger 35.2 kWh battery pack. With these upgrades, the Ray EV offers a range of 205 km in combined cycle and up to 233 km in the city, a substantial improvement over the previous model's 138 km range.

It's worth noting that the Ray shares its underpinnings with other small models from the Kia and Hyundai group, such as the Picanto, i10, and Casper. This suggests that future electric versions of these models may feature similar specifications. Hyundai has already confirmed its work on a zero-emission Casper, with a camouflaged prototype recently spotted in Europe.

The second facelift of the Ray EV brings visual upgrades in line with the ICE-powered Ray. These include vertically-stacked LED headlights, a covered grille, redesigned front and rear bumpers, and new interconnected LED taillights. EV-specific styling cues include the charging port on the grille and new wheels.

Inside the Ray EV, there is a new digital instrument cluster, a modern steering wheel, revised climate controls, and a small storage compartment on the dashboard in place of a gear shifter. The seats can be folded flat, creating a comfortable living space and making it suitable for short camping trips. There is also an LCV version with one or two seats for those in need of a small electric minivan for work. Kia has also introduced fresh options for the interior trim.

In South Korea, the Kia Ray EV starts at ₩27,350,000 ($20,253) for the entry-level LCV variant and goes up to ₩30,800,000 ($22,807) for the fully-equipped passenger model. This is significantly more expensive than the ICE-powered Ray, which starts at ₩13,900,000 ($10,288).

FutureCar Staff