Kia Corporation is planning a big push for the electric vehicle segment in India as part of its global strategy, and the South Korean automaker has confirmed two new EVs for the country, namely the Carens EV and a new mass market offering. Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of Kia, confirmed the development at the company’s Investor Day 2024, along with a broader electrification plan. Song also confirmed the EV9, the brand’s flagship electric SUV, will make its way to India in 2024.
Speaking at the annual event, Ho Sung Song said, “In response to EV market changes, Kia will launch six EV models by 2026, starting with the upcoming EV3 in 2024, followed by EV2, EV4, and EV5 in major markets, including the US, Europe, and South Korea. In emerging markets, the company will deploy two region-specified EVs, such as the Carens EV for the Indian market.”
Details remain under wraps for the Kia Carens EV, but the model will be the first of its kind in the mass-market electric MPV space. At present, the BYD e6 is the only accessible electric MPV on sale. Expect a lot of the features and tech to be carried over from the combustion-powered Carens, but Kia will bring more feature additions and improvements to differentiate the model better. Expect a range of around 500 km on the Carens EV.
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The second mass-market offering is expected to be the Kia Clavis EV, which will be a new offering bridging the gap between the Sonet and Seltos. Kia India is expected to bring a petrol and electric version of the Clavis, with the former likely to hit the market in early 2025. The Carens and Clavis EVs are expected to arrive by 2026.
Meanwhile, the Kia EV9 could arrive as early as the end of this year. The conceptual version was showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo, hinting at its arrival. The new offering will likely arrive as a Completely Built Unit (CBU), much like the Kia EV6, and will take on the flagship luxury SUVs, including the Audi Q8 e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and the like. Expect prices to be just under Rs 1 crore.
Also Read: Kia EV9 Adjudged 2024 World Car Of The Year; EVs Dominate Annual Awards
Kia’s global product strategy also brings hybrids into force in the wake of slowing demand for EVs. While the company says it is confident of EV growth in the long run, in the short term, it expects hybrids to be a big contributor as well. Kia is targeting the Hybrid EV (HEV) range, comprising plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (BEV), to account for 2.48 million units, or 58 per cent, of Kia’s total sales in 2030. The manufacturer is planning to bring six HEV models in 2024, eight models in 2026, and nine models in 2028.
