Imagine by Kia, the first four-door electric from the Korean brand presented at the Geneva Motor Show

This year the Geneva Motor Show has been dominated, without a doubt, by hybrids and electric cars, something entirely natural given the market trend, and Kia has also wanted to take part by presenting its first four-door electric car, the Imagine by Kia. This prototype serves to show the world the evolution of Kia’s design language, as well as introducing us to a new type of architecture for the brand.

Kia’s experience in the world of electric cars is not new. In fact, alongside the Imagine by Kia was also the new e-Niro, but unlike that car, which is based on the hybrid Niro, the Imagine by Kia features a new architecture. This new architecture results in a prototype that has been created to “not fit within the industry’s pre-established categories“, as the brand states, giving us a vehicle that combines the presence of an SUV, the sporty look of a saloon and the versatility of a crossover.

We do not have exact figures for the Imagine by Kia, but the brand says it is a large vehicle that would fall within the C segment. Aesthetically, the Imagine by Kia incorporates a new interpretation of Kia’s “tiger nose” grille, which they have named the “tiger mask“, and which lights up and frames the LED light unit, which appears to be floating due to the materials used, thus giving it a recognisable and distinctive light signature.

On the sides there are some segments that serve as decoration, which have different lengths and angles, so when light falls on them they give a sense of movement. A little higher up we will see how the Imagine by Kia uses a single sheet of glass for the windscreen and roof, which will ensure much greater visibility and brightness inside. At the rear, its light unit will draw much attention, along with indicators placed in a kind of tunnel to create a three-dimensional effect. The chosen paint also deserves mention: six layers of silver paint in a chrome effect have been applied by hand, along with an additional bronze tint, making it highly sensitive to changes in light.

In this attempt to create visual effects on the Imagine by Kia, the brand has also paid particular attention to the 22-inch wheels. These wheels have acrylic crystal inserts, are polished on the front and have diamond-cut angles on the rear, so that when moving, they reflect and refract light in the manner of a cut diamond. These wheels are also fitted with the experimental Goodyear Intelligrip EV tyres, developed specifically for this model.

To access its interior we must open its suicide-style doors, to find four seats and an interior that is minimalist yet very high-tech, as shown by the 21 individual screens in high resolution, curved and synchronised across the entire dashboard. But don’t be alarmed! Kia has not gone crazy; it is actually a criticism by the brand itself of the competition between some manufacturers to see who produces the car with the largest screen, so there is also room for humour in this prototype.

For the moment Kia has not revealed which electric motor could power this prototype or future production versions, but the brand envisages an Imagine by Kia that is exciting to drive, and that incorporates a compact propulsion system. This system will have a battery placed in a very low position, which can also be charged by induction, so that we avoid cables altogether.