Kia outlines product plans, heavy on EVs and hybrids

Kia plans to grow not only its electric vehicle (EV) lineup but also its range of hybrids, and has announced some key launch timings.

In its CEO Investor Day on April 5 it reiterated its goals, announced last year, to have 15 EVs in total – including two purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) – on sale by 2027, with annual EV sales of 1.6 million units by 2030.

It aims to launch at least one new EV every year between now and 2027. The first of these will be the EV3 electric crossover, due in the third quarter of 2024. This was previewed in concept form last year.

It will be joined later by the Europe-focused EV2 and the larger EV4. Kia also plans to roll out two region-specific EVs over the next few years, with one being a Carens EV for India.

Kia plans to offer its EVs with more energy-dense, long-range nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries, as well as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) packs.

In addition to building out its EV lineup, it plans to strengthen its hybrid range from six models in 2024 to eight in 2026 and nine in 2028, with next-generation hybrid powertrains to offer improved performance, torque and fuel efficiency.

By expanding its hybrid lineup, it says it can help manage fluctuation in EV demand.

It says that while long-term EV demand for 2030 is expected to remain unchanged, the pace of growth may prove uneven in the near term due to factors like weaker global economic growth and reduction in EV subsidies.

During 2024, Kia plans to launch two new models and three facelifted models.

The EV3 will launch in the third quarter along with the petrol-powered K4, while a facelifted EV6 is due in the second quarter, a facelifted K8 in the third quarter, and a facelifted Sportage in the fourth quarter.

The facelifted EV6 GT will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Kia has also confirmed it’ll launch its PV5 PBV in 2025, followed by the PV7 in 2027. It’s aiming to sell 150,000 and 100,000 units of each respectively by 2030.

In 2030, Kia plans to sell 4.3 million vehicles, including 1.6 million EVs. That represents significant growth over its 2024 goal of 3.2 million units.

It has increased its 2030 sales projections of electrified vehicles, inclusive of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs, from 55 per cent to 58 per cent.

It has acknowledged the threat of Chinese brands, and says it will tackle them by making its products more competitive, entering new PBV markets, and establishing a global service and parts operation system with 6200 locations and 34,000 technicians.

Kia is focusing on tech, rolling out its connected services across a further 74 countries by 2026 and expanding the number of models with over-the-air updates to 18.

It’s also planning to build 250,000 vehicles annually in China in 2027 to serve not only that market but also emerging markets – as well as Australia, which will receive the Chinese-built EV5 this year.