Kia EV3 - Range, charging & running costs

We’ll reserve our full judgement on the Kia EV3’s efficiency until we drive it in warmer weather on UK roads, but early impressions suggest that it will offer competitive running costs compared with its closest rivals.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

We’ve driven the EV3 in very different climates: once over the course of a chilly week during the UK winter, and another much warmer encounter in South Korea. These drives highlighted just how much of an effect temperature has on the car’s range; we achieved 3.3 miles/kWh during a British cold snap, which translates into a 270-mile real-world range for the long-range model. That includes the power draw from the generous heating we used, and the lack of an efficient heat pump in all but the top-spec model no doubt had an adverse effect. If you want to mitigate the effects of the cabin heater, a heat pump is offered, but only as an option on the top-spec GT-Line S model. It adds around £1,000 to the car’s price.

But in the mid-20s temperatures in South Korea, we registered 4.6mi/kWh, increasing the range by more than 100 miles. Regardless of the weather, it means that the Kia’s range is among the best for a car of this size and price. 

Officially, the EV3 charges at 127.5kW, which is about average for this class. Due to that fairly chunky 81.4kWh battery, it means that a 10-80 per cent top-up takes around half an hour.

Tax

The electric powertrain is sure to make the EV3 an appealing choice for company-car drivers, but as with every other zero-emission model, April 2025 will bring an increase in Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rates from the current two per cent banding to three per cent.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups for the EV3 start with 34 for the base Air model with the Standard Range battery. Long Range cars sit in groups 36 to 38, depending on trim.

Depreciation

After three years or 36,000 miles, data sourced from CDL VIS predicts that the EV3 will retain just over 50 per cent of its original price. That’s very strong for an EV in this class, beating the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born by a few percentage points, and matching more premium alternatives such as the Alfa Romeo Junior. 

For reference, one of the heaviest depreciators in the segment, the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, holds on to less than 33 per cent of its original cost over the same period.

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