Kia India has announced that it will be launched a locally developed India-centric electric vehicle by the year 2025. Speaking at the India launch of the Kia EV6, Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director & CEO, Kia India said, "Kia India is developing an India-centric EV in RV form ground up, to be launched by 2025." While the Kia EV6 comes to India as a completely built unit (CBU), the carmaker is planning to invest in local R&D and manufacturing of EVs, and the first India-made electric vehicle will be an RV or recreational vehicle body type, built from the ground up.
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Now, as we already know an RV is Kia-speak for an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle. However, whether it will be an electric version of the exiting Kia Carens or a completely new model is yet to be seen. Having said the company does plan to bring in a range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to India over the course of this decade.
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Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director & CEO, Kia India said, the company will be investing in localisation and manufacturing electric vehicles at the Anantapur plant.
Talking about the company's future EV plan, Park said, "Our plant was set up keeping in mind the future, and I am happy to let you know that we are fully capable of manufacturing EVs here, and we are evaluating many BEVs that can be brought here." He further added, "We will be investing in localisation and manufacturing electric vehicles at our state-of-the-art plant at Anantapur. Our transformation is not limited to our product line-up but to our internal operation as well."
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Sharing more details about the locally developed EV, Myung-Sik Sohn, Chief Sales Officer, Kia India said, "Kia India's EV roadmap will comprise of our vast EVs, one of which will be a dedicated India EV in RV body type... Kia India will be investing in local R&D, manufacturing and developing the EV infrastructure. Committed to introducing vehicles that meet the ever-changing needs of Indian customers, this planned car will be launched in a variety of body types ranging from mass to premium."
Globally, Kia aim is to sell 1.2 million EVs globally by 2030 and to achieve this goal, the company will invest $22.22 billion in its business operations over the next 5 years.
Globally, Kia plans to have 14 battery-electric vehicles in its line-up by the year 2027. The aim is to sell 1.2 million EVs globally by 2030 and to achieve this goal, the company will invest $22.22 billion in its business operations over the next 5 years. TJ Park says that a part of this investment will go towards the development of products in India and the setting up of infrastructure for EVs. In fact, the company has said that all 15 showrooms across India, which will sell the Kia EV6, will have 150 kW DC fast chargers. Globally, the larger goal of the company is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
