The Kia Tasman effect! How the big diesel-powered ute has made it possible for the 2026 Kia EV4 hatch and sedan to arrive in Australia to make life hard for the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal electric vehicles

Kia has confirmed that both the EV4 Sedan and Hatch will be launched in Australia next year – and that’s great news for buyers of the newly-released and very diesel-powered Tasman ute.

Already offering one of the broadest ranges of SUV electric vehicles (EV) in Australia, including the EV3, EV5, EV6 and EV9, the company is keen for these plus the EV4 and the coming EV2 and eventually EV1 to offset the emissions (and potential subsequent penalties) of its diesel-powered models.

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Yep, the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is already influencing the choices of models that Australians can buy – and it only came into effect on January 1.

If you’re confused by the sheer number of Kia EVs, let’s put the EV4 in perspective.

The first to arrive will be the four-door sedan from South Korea in the first quarter of 2026, followed by the five-door hatchback that is actually sourced from the brand’s Slovakia plant sometime around mid-year.

Small and medium-sized passenger car sales in Australia are down nearly 25 per cent and 65 per cent respectively year-on-year to the end of July, but Kia is confident the EV4 Sedan in particular can buck the trend.

According to Kia Australia product planning manager Roland Rivero the long-term success of the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal prove there is still demand for sporty-designed and correctly-tuned premium sedans.

“Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal as well (show that) there is still an appetite for a sedan in the marketplace,” he told CarsGuide.

“We think that the EV4 offering is going to be a good thing. Graham (Gambold, the organisation that modifies vehicles to better cope with Australian road conditions) tuned it as well, and it's well specified.

“And, from my perspective, it drives even better than an EV3, even though they are fundamentally the same, because it’s lower.”

Closely related to the EV3 small SUV, the EV4 sedan is slightly longer, wider and taller than a Model 3, and uses the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP 400V architecture. The hatch, meanwhile, is 300mm shorter than its sibling.

Two battery sizes have been announced internationally – a 58kWh Standard Range or 81kWh Long Range pack, while a 150kW electric motor is mounted up front, driving the front wheels. A dual-motor all-wheel drive version may slot in later.

The sedan delivers greater range between recharges — to the tune of 430km versus 410km with the small battery and 630k versus 590km in the big battery model — perhaps due to its sleeker aerodynamics with a drag co-efficiency of just 0.23 Cd

Pricing? Too early to tell, but some pundits are predicting a sub-$50,000 opener, to align with the EV3 Air Standard Range’s $47,600 before on-road costs.

We’re not so sure, considering Kia’s desire to pitch the Sedan in particular as a safe alternative to the controversial Tesla.

Whatever, we have the NVES and Tasman ute to thank for yet another promising Kia EV.