Kia Motors India joined the other big brands at the Auto Expo in announcing big plans to go electric in the next few years. Globally, the Korean brand is planning to launch 14 new electric vehicles by 2027, and officials at the Indian subsidiary announced that quite a few of those will be considered for launch in the Indian market too.
₹2,000 crore investment
The Indian company is investing ₹2,000 crore at its Anantapur plant for research and development and related infrastructure in the EV space. The brand also unveiled its all-electric SUV concept, the Kia Concept EV9, at the Auto Expo. Also delivering a futuristic message for its fossil fuel-driven portfolio, Kia showcased the KA4, a modern, premium RV, offering new digital safety features, innovation in connectivity, and new drive dynamics technology. The KA4 is essentially the new 2023 Carnival in other markets, which is being positioned as an independent new model in the Indian market.
At the Expo on Wednesday, the Korean brand further announced its entry into the Purpose-Built Vehicles (PBVs) segment. These vehicles come prefabricated with the kind of features and equipment that will be needed by specialised institutions like hospitals and the police force. The PBVs showcased at the pavilion were a police van and an ambulance based on the Carens.
Speaking on the occasion, Tae-Jin Park, MD and CEO, Kia India, said, “With the launch of EV6, we started our electrification journey in India, and today, with the unveiling of the concept EV9, we are presenting our vision of the future. With KA4, we want to showcase our might in the popular UV segment, offering bold design and capability, safety, and luxury, all packed into one large recreational vehicle.”
EV9 concept
Kia previewed the EV9, its future global electric SUV, and it was first unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2021. The electric vehicle will be launched in international markets in the first quarter of 2023. Conceptualised and designed at the brand’s California design studio, the Kia Concept EV9 is based on the E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform), which is Kia’s EV dedicated platform, comprising the chassis of the vehicle, including the battery, motor, and power electric system. It allows the company to manufacture different kinds of vehicles due to its scalable wheelbase. The platform is also shared by the EV6 currently sold in India.