MUMBAI: South Korean carmaker Kia is planning to launch its first mass-market electric vehicle (EV) in India next year and target 4 lakh unit annual sales in the country by 2030. India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki and Kia’s parent company - Hyundai - are also expected to launch their first EV in India next year.
"Next year, we plan to introduce one electric model in the mass segment," said Kia India MD and CEO Gwanggu Lee on Thursday. He added that the company also plans to consolidate its position in the sports utility vehicle (SUV) segment and is looking to bring in models as per the market demand.
Kia India, which at present sells one EV model - EV 6 - at a starting price of Rs 60.96 lakh - on Thursday introduced another model - EV9 - priced at Rs 1.3 crore. The automaker also launched the much-awaited Carnival Limousine at Rs 63.9 lakh. The two new models are fully imported and will be sold as completely built units (CBUs) here.
Lee said that the automaker disrupted the Indian automobile industry in 2019 and is yet again doing it after five years with its Kia 2.0 transformation strategy. “The Kia 2.0 transformation is aimed to redefine how you perceive automobiles conventionally, while keeping the cores intact," he stated. The company's focus on technology, design, and unparalleled luxury will revolutionise the Indian market, Lee said.
Kia India National Head of Sales and Marketing Hardeep Singh Brar said the company aims to end the current calendar year with sales of 2.5 lakh units. The company expects to sell 3 lakh PVs next year.
On the mass market EV, Brar said that the model will be developed and designed specifically for the Indian market. He informed that the EV would be launched in the first half of next year, followed by another battery-powered vehicle in 2026.