Kia has revealed their intention to become a leading electric vehicle manufacturer. In fact, they just announced a goal of having 25% of their global sales being electric by 2029.
Kia is already a veteran of EV models. They released the Ray EV city car back in 2012. Additionally, they can boast about award-winning e-Soul and e-Niro models, both of which are popular in European markets. Now the Korean automaker says it will launch seven brand new EV models by 2027. The first addition to Kia’s EV lineup is coming in 2021.
Building On ‘Plan S’
The newly announced EV plan builds on Kia’s “Plan S.” It’s an initiative unveiled this past May, which set a target to sell 500,000 EVs globally by 2026. While Plan S included a goal of 6.6% market share by 2026, the expanded goal is even more ambitious.
Kia says its EV range will be underpinned by the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). They claim it will be flexible enough to offer vehicles suited to both urban driving and long-range trips. They also plan to use it for high-performance vehicles.
Charging Infrastructure
In addition to introducing more EVs for regular sale, Kia will look to offer them under leasing and rental business models too. In its home country of South Korea, as well as the U.S. and Europe, Kia is focusing on improving charging infrastructure. It has plans to add 1,500 EV chargers across South Korea by 2030, including 120 ultra-rapid chargers in urban centers and highways by 2021.
In Europe, Kia says it will install more than 2,400 chargers while partnering with European fast-charging network Ionity. Lastly, Kia plans to install 500 chargers in the United States.
Source: Kia
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