Kia is killing off its cheapest gas car, but a new EV will replace it

Starting at about $20,000, the Picanto is Kia’s most affordable new car in Europe, the UK, and several other global markets. The entry-level gas car is likely on its way out as part of the shift to electrification, but Kia has a new EV that will replace it.

Is Kia replacing the Picanto with an EV?

The Picanto starts at just €17,590 ($20,000) in Germany and £17,095 ($23,000) in the UK, serving as an affordable city car.

There’s just one (big) problem: It’s still powered by a gas engine. The Picanto is the last purely gas-powered city car you can buy in the UK, and with the government’s current Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, Kia will be forced to discontinue it by 2030.

The UK’s ZEV mandate requires all vehicles to be fitted with some sort of hybrid system by 2030, and by 2035, all new cars will need to be fully electric.