Electric saloon’s range will prove doubters wrong

THIS week’s drive, the Kia EV4 Fastback should dispel any motorist’s misgivings about driving and owning an electric vehicle.

I say this as one who has in the past had real doubts about EVs, mostly because of their range.

However, in the past few years, EVs have leapt forward in terms of design and range achievement.

No one could argue that this EV4 Fastback does not have the looks: my young grandson was very taken with its “spaceship” appearance.

Of course, there is more to any car than mere looks but the overriding impression I got of this car was that it was a vehicle I could drive “normally”.

What I hear frequently from drivers who have their doubts about EVs is the fact that at the wheel you feel you cannot drive as you would if you were in an ICE car (one powered by a conventional internal combustion engine).

True, it is different driving an EV and as I have said here before, I have driven some and experienced a high degree of trepidation.

But this time with the Kia EV4 Fastback GT-Line S when I had to make a trip one morning to Trowbridge in Wiltshire from my home in the Cotswolds, I just jumped in and took off.

That sounds normal enough but one of the biggest criticisms of EVs is that you cannot just take off without planning ahead to stop at charging points.

The car arrived with a virtually full charge and the figures for its range are: 380 miles (combined) and a city driving range of 487 miles.

This is a massive improvement in range on any electric vehicle I have driven in recent years and a testament to the fine engineering that is going on re the production of EVs.

For example, once upon a time, drivers believed you could not have all the “fringe” benefits, that is comforts, of normal driving because you were in an EV.

This EV4 Fastback was loaded with “goodies” from the electric driver's seat adjustment with memory function and electric driver and passenger seat lumbar support to the LED headlights, heated front and outer rear seats, heated steering wheel and smart power tailgate.

In short, with this EV4 Fastback you did not want for anything you might have considered a comfort in a “conventional” car.

I think with its looks and performance this car (the test vehicle was priced at £45,445 on the road) will be a hugely popular competitor in a market where new car buyers are looking for something desirable and different in an EV.

I have said it before, but you have to be prepared to think (and indeed, drive) differently in an EV.

If this allows a driver scope to be more considerate and safer on the road then that surely is a plus.

There is nothing you will want for in this EV or feel you would be better off driving a conventional car.

Sure, you have to consider range and plan your routes perhaps, but the greatest asset for any EV driver is a good home charger.

Firms selling these are plentiful now and you can shop around for a good deal. You can get a home charger installed and charge the car cheaply overnight at home.

When you have a range of 300-plus to 400-plus miles available, you can make this work. But like charging your mobile phone — it’s up to you how efficiently you manage charging.

The EV4 is the first-ever electric hatchback and fastback saloon designs for Kia. It is Kia’s first saloon in Europe since the Stinger (a model I really liked).

The carmaker offers an easy-to-understand three-tier model line-up to buyers in the UK: Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S. Every EV4 is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor and can accelerate from 0-to-62mph in as little as 7.5 seconds, on to a top speed of 105mph.

The EV4 is able to charge from 10-to-80 per cent in just 29 minutes (31 minutes for long range) when plugged into a 150kW DC fast charger, and in just five hours and 20 minutes on an 11kW AC charger (seven hours and 15 minutes for models with the long range battery).

The Kia EV4 is equipped with a wide variety of the brand’s latest technological advancements as standard. This includes Kia’s new connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), integrated into the dual 12.3ins display and infotainment screens.

This allows for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a range of on-demand features, The EV4's displays also integrate an additional 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen, accompanied by physical rocker switches on the centre fascia to control heating and ventilation.

It’s worth noting that EV4 Air variants are eligible for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant Band 2, providing £1,500 off the on-the-road purchase price, for both the standard and long-range batteries.