Kia EV8 Reportedly Coming as Electric Stinger Replacement
Kia discontinued the Stinger sports sedan following the 2023 model year, and the assumption was that the company would rely on the EV6 GT crossover to appeal to performance enthusiasts. While that may be true in the short term, a more direct successor is reportedly in the works.
According to documents viewed by Korean Car Blog detailing production schedules prepared by Kia’s union, a “large EV sedan” is coming in the form of the Kia EV8.
- Also: Kia Stinger Adds Tribute Edition as Production Comes to an End
- Also: 2023 Kia EV6 GT Arrives as Fastest and Most Expensive Kia Ever
This new model would replace both the Stinger and the K8 that’s sold overseas. Production at the Hwaseong assembly plant in South Korea would begin in 2026 with local sales to follow soon after. Units could be exported a year later to the U.S., which was one of the biggest markets for the Stinger globally. Canada would inevitably be included.
As for technical details, we know that Kia is currently working on a new platform called IMA (Integrated Modular Architecture), which will take over from the E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) underpinning the Kia EV6 and EV9, as well as the upcoming EV5, EV4 and EV3. However, the aforementioned documents refer to a platform called eM. Is that just a code name? Maybe.
But wait, here’s the best part: the EV8 would use a dual-motor system producing a combined 603 horsepower. By comparison, the late Stinger featured a 368-horsepower V6, while the EV6 GT generates 576 horsepower.
It’s said that the motors would draw energy from a 113.2kWh battery and that range is estimated at around 800 km. The second number is obviously calculated using a different test cycle than the EPA’s in the U.S. or the similar method used by Natural Resources Canada, but we’d still expect the car to have pretty long range any way you cut it.
Hopefully Kia will make some official announcement later this year. One thing’s for sure: it doesn’t look like the brand is abandoning performance enthusiasts.
