Kia to embark on global EV onslaught

KIA Motors Corporation (KMC) has revealed its plans to launch seven dedicated electric vehicles (EVs) by 2027, the first of which is on track to launch next year.

Forming part of the brand’s ‘Plan S’ strategy, the new vehicles will be split across several segments as KMC transitions from being a traditional auto maker to a “leading EV brand in the market”.

Code-named CV, very little is known about next year’s EV and even less about the wider range it will kick off, however KMC officials have released a single, very vague sketch revealing nothing but basic outlines.

Regardless though, Kia Motors Australia (KMAu) has already voiced its interest in securing the CV Down Under.

“Kia Australia is consistently campaigning for greater availability of green vehicles which is not limited to just EV,” a spokesperson told GoAuto.

“We recently announced our intention to launch Sorento plug-in hybrid early next year.

“We are still in the planning stages but aiming to release an EV during 2021.”

The only confirmed detail released regarding the CV – and the rest of the EV range – is that it will ride on KMC’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) while the wider range will consist of city cars, long-range vehicles and performance offerings.

According to CEO Ho Sung Song, KMC has sold more than 100,000 battery electric vehicles since 2011, clearly showing the demand and success of the brand’s products.

“Since then, we have started to introduce a range of new BEVs for global markets and announced plans to accelerate this process in the years ahead.

“By refocusing our business on electrification, we are aiming for BEVs to account for 25 percent of our total worldwide sales by 2029.”

That sale deadline has actually been extended by three years from 2026, by which point the brand is hoping to have sold more than half a million BEVs.

By 2025 it hopes to have 11 dedicated EV models in showrooms around the globe.

With EV recharging infrastructure in multiple key markets, the brand also announced plans to partner with various charging companies and charger manufacturers worldwide in order to ensure its market onslaught will be supported and viable.

Goalpost numbers include 1500 chargers in Korea, 2400 in Europe and 500 in North America.

As for Australia, KMAu plans to have 280 chargers installed and operational around the country prior to the launch of next year’s EV.

“We have been working with the Kia dealer network for the last 12 months to establish a charging infrastructure,” the spokesperson said.

“Kia dealers are in the process of installing chargers – one in sales and one in aftersales. Once completed we expect to have approximately 280 chargers in place and working towards this being finalised prior to receiving an ongoing supply of EVs.”

KMAu does not currently offer a vehicle with any form of electrification in Australia, however all that will change with the arrival of the self-charging and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Sorento seven-seat SUV early next year.

So far this year ending August, the Korean brand has sold 35,604 new vehicles nationally, 5628 units down on the 41,232 sales it managed over the same period last year, marking a sales dip of 13.6 per cent.