The carmaker is working on its first localised EV but will continue to be open to technologies demanded by its customers
By 2025, Kia India plans to launch a relatively affordable electric vehicle (EV) in the country by this time with the hopes of reaching a 10,000-unit yearly sales target.
Kia’s India run has been one for which most carmakers would give a limb, in a market with as much room for growth as ours. Since its debut in 2019, it has become the fourth-largest carmaker in the country and has held this spot largely unchallenged since.
A keen understanding of the Indian consumer has meant that most of its products have hit the spot, no doubt helped by the experience of parent firm Hyundai. India is now Kia’s fourth largest market globally, accounting for 10 percent of global sales, only behind South Korea, USA and Europe. Kia’s cars have quickly built up a reputation of being smart to look at, rich feel inside, and packed to the gills with tech while still maintaining good value. While safety concerns still linger, Kia India has also done better than most to shore up a premium image while starting from a mainstream position. It’s addressed underserved segments with pricey but value-packed offerings like the Carnival MPV and EV6 EV, both of which have been well-received.
In a similar vein, Kia has built up a sizeable manufacturing presence in the country and used the country’s strengths in low-cost manufacturing and infrastructure to turn its operations here into a major export hub. Its most affordable offering in the country, the Kia Sonet, is now also exported to 100 countries globally.
But by 2025, Kia India will be well on its way with possibly its most ambitious move in the country. The company plans to launch a relatively affordable electric vehicle (EV) in the country by this time with the hopes of reaching a 10,000-unit yearly sales target.