The Coolest Kia on the Planet Is this Five-Speed Electric Restomod

Kia UK and Electrogenic have turned a 1993 Pride LX hatchback into an electric vehicle.  The adorable hatch retains the its original five-speed manual transmission. It makes 78 percent more horsepower and 99 percent more torque than the stock gasoline engine. 

Kia is turning 80 years old in 2024, and the automaker is celebrating by modernizing a bit of its past. Kia UK has prepared a special gift, pulling a 1993 Pride LX from its heritage collection, ripping out the 1.3-liter gasoline engine, and installing a battery and two electric motors while keeping the hatchback’s original five-speed manual transmission.

The road-legal EV packs two 10-kilowatt-hour battery packs. One sits under the hood, while the other resides under the rear cargo area, adding about 44 pounds while improving weight distribution. The single electric motor drives the front wheels through the five-speed gearbox, which Electrogenic reworked with a new high-performance clutch to accommodate the increased power.

The electrified Pride has three modes: Eco, Sport, and Auto. Eco maximizes the range, offering up to 120 miles. Kia designed it to mimic the driving characteristics of the original gas-powered Pride, limiting the output to 60 horsepower and 87 pound-feet of torque. It can reach 62 miles per hour in an estimated 11.8 seconds.

Sport unleashes all the Pride’s power—107 hp and 173 lb-ft. That’s 77.7 percent more horsepower and 99.2 percent more torque than the Pride’s 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, which made just 60 hp. The electric powertrain helps the little hatch reach 62 mph in an estimated 8.0 seconds.

The driver engages Auto by shifting the gearbox into third and switching the driver mode selector. This turns the Pride into a more conventional-feeling electric vehicle with a stronger regenerative braking response. The mode limits the power output to 75 percent of the total while limiting the top speed due to the gearbox ratio and motor rpm limits.

Kia changed the exterior color from the original Kingfisher Blue to White Pearl, a color featured on the Kia EV3, EV6, and other EVs. The headlights and taillights have also been upgraded. Inside, the Pride retains its instrument cluster, with Electrogenic modifying the fuel gauge into a battery charge meter. It has a period-correct gray interior that Kia modernizes with lime green accents on the seats and floor mats, a color used on the high-performance Kia EV6 GT.

Kia UK plans to verify the Pride EV’s performance metrics, so we’ll soon know how much better the electrified version has become next to the 30-year-old original.