Yahoo Autos Kia Builds 107-HP Manual EV Restomod with 1996 Pride Hatchback
This humble 1996 Pride EV Concept electric restomod is Kia’s 80th birthday present to itself.
The 1.3-liter, 60-horsepower engine is gone, and in its place is an electric motor that produces 107 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque. Instead of adopting a single-speed transmission, though, Kia (in collaboration with U.K. EV conversion specialist Electrogenic) retains the original five-speed manual and is matched with a new clutch that can handle the added torque. The 0-60 mph time falls from around 12 seconds to just 8 seconds with the extra power, giving it enough go to be considered a slightly warm hatchback.
Unlike some more controversial EV restomods, it’s likely safe to say no one will be mourning the loss of the Pride’s anemic gasoline engine. The five-door hatchback is admittedly an odd choice for this project. If you were thinking it bears resemblance to the Mazda 121 or Ford Festiva, you’d be correct. The Pride used Mazda’s platform, and the Festiva took advantage of the same underpinnings.
Its appearance in restomod form is almost identical to the car as it was in 1996, but Kia repainted it from the original Kingfisher Blue to White Pearl, the same color offered today on a number of its electric offerings. Both the front and rear lights are upgraded for better performance, and it gets a clever “pridev” badge on the rear to designate its electric status. But the 12-inch steel wheels? Yup, those are still there.
Two 10-kilowatt-hour battery packs provide an estimated 120 miles of range. One of the packs is under the hood, while the other occupies the rear cargo area. Charging from 1-100 percent takes approximately six hours, and the socket is located where the fuel filler used to sit. With such small battery packs, the electric Pride is only 44 pounds heavier than it was pre-conversion, landing at just 1,918 pounds.
Just like the exterior, Kia didn’t do much beyond subtle modifications to the interior. The original gray cloth remains, but it’s bolstered by lime green seat piping and green floor mat stitching as a nod to the EV6 GT’s green accents. Its instrument cluster remains and is repurposed with the fuel level dial adapted to instead read state of charge. You can pick between Eco, Auto, and Sport drive modes, and there are even levels of regenerative braking you can choose. The Auto mode specifically takes the manual transmission out of play, as you can simply put it in third gear and drive without shifting after that.
The Pride EV saw its public debut at the Bicester Heritage Scramble over the weekend, which is fitting considering the donor car came directly from Kia’s U.K. heritage fleet. Kia and Hyundai converting some of its older and lesser-known vehicles is becoming a trend, as the Pride follows both the Hyundai Grandeur and Hyundai Pony coupe.
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