Kia will launch a small, Europe-focused electric hatchback next year as part of a strategy to raise its EV sales mix across the region by 2030.
The B-segment hatch is expected to be a lower‑riding sibling to the Kia EV2, using the 400‑volt E‑GMP platform with 42.2kWh and 61kWh battery options and an estimated range around 200–300 miles; Kia said it could be positioned as an EV alternative to the Picanto and could carry the EV1 badge, and it will be the firm's cheapest EV with prices likely starting in the low-£20,000s.
Kia did not confirm a production site, though the EV2 factory in Slovakia is a likely candidate, and the company said the hatch will be the first "software‑defined vehicle" in this segment with centrally integrated core systems.
Kia plans 14 electric models globally by 2030 and aims for one million EV sales per year by 2030, a target reduced about 20% from earlier plans; Ho Sung Song, Kia CEO, said at the Seoul investor day that the global EV market is entering a "chasm" and that affordability and charging must improve to broaden uptake.
This report is based on information originally published by AutoCar.
Read the full article at AutoCar.
More automotive news: Latest car news