Kia Syros EV Takes Shape: First Clear Spy Shots
Kia is working on its second mass-market electric vehicle. It will be based on the outgoing Syros SUV. When launched, it will lock horns with the likes of Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV 400. This is a segment with high footfalls and some serious competition. We have already seen the Syros EV undergoing road trials in India. Now, what appears to be the first clear spy shots have surfaced online, revealing some interesting details.
These pictures were shared by Autospy, and appear to be from Korea. They show a camouflaged Syros EV plugged into a public DC fast charger. The charger seems to be located in the basement parking of some commercial establishment (a mall, maybe!). These images reveal that the Syros EV shown here has its charging port on the front fenders. The Clavis EV, launched recently in India, however, has a nose-mounted port.
Since it is fender-mounted, the Syros EV seems to have dual charging ports, one on either side. Look carefully at the pictures, and you will see the camouflage has identical openings on both sides, for accessing these.
We can also see that this electric SUV has lime-coloured brake callipers. In Korea, Kia uses this colour on the callipers of its GT models. This has made many brand aficionados curious.
It looks like both ends get disc brakes as well. The alloy wheel design resembles that of the ICE form. These are aero-optimised. Most other design cues seem to be similar to the ones found on the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) version.
It is for the first time that we got to see the Syros EV this close and in such fine detail. This set shows all angles of the vehicle as well. The mule seems to have front and rear parking sensors and ADAS suite as well. Like the ICE counterpart, the EV too is expected to come with flush-type door handles, in its production form.
The interior design is expected to be near-identical to that of the ICE version. However, it will run the updated EV-specific software for the screens and may even get different trims and upholstery as well. No change is expected in the feature list.
Syros EV: Expected Specifications
The EV version will also be underpinned by the K1 platform, the same that forms the base of models like the Hyundai Casper and Inster sold abroad. To make you relate more, this is the platform that is found on the Exter as well.
The all-electric Syros will have a front-wheel drive layout. It could borrow the Hyundai Inster's battery packs- 42kWh and 49kWh, which use Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cells. On the Hyundai, these have claimed ranges of 300km and 355km respectively. The Clavis EV that is on sale currently, however, comes with 42kWh and 51.4 kWh batteries.
Kia India Bets Big On EVs
The carmaker has ambitious plans with its mass-market EVs. It has priced the Carens Clavis EV competitively and will likely do the same with the Syros EV as well. We expect the ex-showroom price to be in the range of Rs 13-18 lakh. It will then become the most affordable Kia EV in India. The exact launch timeline of the vehicle remains unclear for now.
Grim Sales For The Syros In India?
The Syros has had an interesting sales trajectory in India. It was launched in February this year. There was a strong demand initially, which we hoped would soon push the product to stardom. 25,000 units were sold in just five months.
Buyer interest cooled off eventually, and by June 2025, the numbers were down to 774 units! Many dealers reported unsold inventory piling up. In the second half of this year, we expect the model to climb back to acceptance. If so, the EV will bring recognition to the nameplate, due to powertrain diversification.