Kia wants to strengthen its presence in the European electric market. To do this, the South Korean brand has committed to launching 15 new electric cars on the Old Continent by 2027. To achieve this, the manufacturer’s emblematic factory located in Slovakia could be modernized.
With the ban on the sale of thermal cars in 2035, many manufacturers are accelerating their energy transition. This is the case, for example, of Volkswagen, which plans to launch no less than 10 new electric cars by 2026. And this Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the German brand has also opened orders for its new ID. 3 in France.
But in this article, it is not about VW but about Kia. Indeed, the South Korean company wants to strengthen its presence in this key segment in Europe. To do this, it plans to launch no less than 15 new electric cars by 2027 on the Old Continent.
15 Kia electric cars in Europe by 2027
During its annual day dedicated to investors, the brand confirmed its desire to manufacture its future electric vehicles in its main markets (namely Europe, China, USA and India). The idea is to no longer rely solely on the production capacities of the Gyeonggi site in South Korea.
So, the manufacturer’s emblematic plant located in Slovakia could be greatly modernized to deal with European EV production. Nevertheless, Kia has not yet given the details of its strategy. In fact, the construction of another site remains possible.
Also read: Kia EV9 – the electric SUV would offer a range of less than 400 kilometers
Modernization of a European factory under study
For the moment, the Slovak factory produces 350,000 cars a year. It includes the main thermal models such as the Kia Ceed, Proceed, Xceed and Sportage. Regarding the electric range, namely the Kia EV6, Kia Soul EV and Kia Niro EV, it is manufactured exclusively in South Korea. But things could soon change.
“In Europe, Kia plans to produce small and mid-size EVs locally, as these are the main sales drivers in the region,” said the brand during the presentation of the updated version of its Plan S.
Kia and Plan S, its long-term strategy
Remember, in January 2021, Kia presented the Plan S, its new long-term strategy. The manufacturer had notably promised the launch of 7 new electric vehicles by 2027. Today, this number has therefore increased to 15.
One thing has not changed however: they will all be based on Hyundai’s new E-GMP platform. The advantage of this platform is to be modular and to offer excellent roominess, in particular thanks to a wheelbase of 3 meters, a compact motor-inverter-transmission assembly, and a new, smaller battery pack.
Source : Coach
