Kia Motors India has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government to collaborate on ‘Partnership for Future Eco Mobility’. Under the partnership, Kia Motors has committed to support Andhra Pradesh for increasing the uptake of electric vehicles and developing a local EV infrastructure.
The memorandum was signed in the presence of State Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, and Kia Motors Managing Director and CEO, Kookhyun Shim. As part of the agreement, Kia Motors has submitted three examples of its global best-selling eco car – Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid and Niro EV.
Kia Motors is also installing a vehicle charging station at Vijayawada for representatives from the regional government to charge their new environmentally-friendly fleet. The partnership signifies the company’s long-term commitment to build eco-friendly vehicles at its new Anantapur plant, an important step for the future of clean mobility in the rapidly expanding Indian market.
The Andhra Pradesh government is developing 14 ‘smart cities’ for enhancing the lives of residents and enabling businesses to optimise their resources. As part of Kia Motors’ commitment to the market, company is working with the regional government to design a new generation of transportation systems.
Kia Motors plans to offer 16 electrified vehicles by 2025. The Korean company continues to invest in the development and commercialisation of autonomous driving and eco-friendly vehicles.
The three Niro vehicles given to the Andhra Pradesh Government include the new Niro EV – a fully electric crossover capable of travelling 455 kilometres on a single charge by worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) combined test cycle.
The Niro Hybrid and Niro Plug-in Hybrid are already among the best-selling hybrid vehicles globally, employing parallel hybrid powertrains which switch between petrol and electric power – or offer a combination of both, recharging their batteries whenever possible to maximise electric vehicle range.