The Seltos is Kia’s big bet in the burgeoning B-segment SUV market, and according to theKEEA, the car will receive an all-electric variant to add to the fierce competition in the sector.
The website for fans of the South Korean brand cites rumours that suggest such a model will go into production in August next year. It will likely be a close sibling of the Hyundai Kona Electric, but unlike the latter, it probably won’t be sold in the US or Europe anytime soon, as it’s expected to be an Asia-only model.
Just like the Kona Electric (and indeed the e-Soul and Niro EV), the Seltos EV should use the same 136 PS/395 Nm electric motor with a 39.2 kWh lithium-ion battery that, in the Hyundai, delivers a claimed range of 312 km on the WLTP cycle, while the model with the larger 64 kWh battery adds a 204 PS motor; this boosts the Kona’s range to 482 km. As the Seltos’ is similar in size, the range figures should be within the ballpark.
Given that the regular Seltos isn’t even confirmed yet for our market, the likelihood of the electric version entering Malaysia is pretty much zero. However, the Kona Electric will soon be available here through official channels via a Cohesive Mobility Solution (COMOS) subscription, so don’t count it out fully just yet.
GALLERY: US-market Kia Seltos
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