KIA makes EVs and mobility solutions their prime focus
KIA recently announced its updated ‘Plan S’ strategy at the 2021 CEO Investor Day. Ho Sung Song, President, and CEO of KIA Corporation took to stage in Seoul, South Korea to announce KIA’s ambitious mid-to-long-term roadmap. President Song added that KIA will be reborn in 2021 and will come with a new logo, new design, and new corporate name.
‘KIA’s transformation’ will see the company take a step towards a broader business portfolio to redefine the entire mobility ecosystem. KIA will begin by first transitioning petrol engines into electrified engines. This renewed ‘Plan S’ strategy will follow three core pillars: advancing electric vehicle (EV) transition, strengthening purpose-built vehicle (PBV) business, and expanding the future of mobility services.
By 2030, KIA hopes to have its eco-friendly vehicles such as EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs make up 40 percent of all their sales. Their annual sales target is 1.6 million units as KIA does plan to grow their EV sales to at least 880 000 units by 2030. KIA has also announced that they would be launching their first dedicated EV project later this year, which will see the EV line-up get a total of 11 new models by the year 2026. The EV’s will be built on E-GMP which aims to set a new benchmark in the All-Electric Range (AER). KIA’s first dedicated EV will come featured with HDA2 (Highway Driving Assist Level 2) technology. In fact, from 2023 all KIA EV models will come equipped with Highway Driving Pilot (HDP), a pivotal step in the development of autonomous driving.
The future is looking bright for KIA, in 2022, KIA has slotted in its first purpose-built vehicle (PBV). The company does hope to hit an annual target sale of 1 million units by 2030 and hopes to see it become a world leader in PBVs. KIA will develop a variety of specialized vehicles which will be based on its PBV-dedicated skateboard platforms. KIA does plan to further expand its PBV business by teaming up with other major companies to develop this large board platform.
KIA is aware that its mobility services will be competing with other heavy-weights and in response have chosen to focus on core areas. KIA now will be expanding their existing car-sharing service Wible (which is used in Spain) with Wible Más and Wible Empresas. Last year the car usership service ‘KiaMobility’ was also launched as a pilot project in both Italy and Russia, and other European markets. KIA has also announced plans to launch an EV-based service that will see the vehicles been used for businesses on weekdays and rented by individuals on weekends.
Also worth a look: the Kia Seltos and the Kia Sportage.
FAQ
Q: What is KIA's Plan S strategy and when will it be implemented?
KIA's updated Plan S strategy is their ambitious mid-to-long-term roadmap focusing on three core pillars: advancing electric vehicle transition, strengthening purpose-built vehicle business, and expanding future mobility services. The plan runs through 2030, with KIA aiming for eco-friendly vehicles to make up 40 percent of all sales by then.
Q: How many electric vehicles will KIA launch by 2026?
KIA plans to launch 11 new electric vehicle models by 2026, all built on their E-GMP platform which aims to set new benchmarks in All-Electric Range. Their first dedicated EV project launched in 2021, with all KIA EV models from 2023 onwards featuring Highway Driving Pilot technology.
Q: What are KIA's electric vehicle sales targets for 2030?
KIA aims to sell 880,000 electric vehicle units annually by 2030, as part of their overall annual sales target of 1.6 million units. They want eco-friendly vehicles including EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs to represent 40 percent of their total sales by 2030.
Q: What autonomous driving technology will KIA electric vehicles feature?
KIA's first dedicated EV comes with HDA2 (Highway Driving Assist Level 2) technology, and from 2023 onwards, all KIA EV models will be equipped with Highway Driving Pilot (HDP), representing a major step towards autonomous driving development.
Q: Are KIA electric vehicles worth buying in South Africa?
KIA's electric vehicles offer compelling value with their 7-year/150,000km warranty, advanced E-GMP platform technology, and Highway Driving Pilot features from 2023 models onwards. However, South Africa's limited charging infrastructure and the typical price premium of EVs over petrol models mean they're best suited for urban drivers with home charging capabilities.
Should You Buy It?
Here's the thing, mate: KIA's electric future sounds brilliant on paper, but we're still waiting for most of these promised EVs to actually rock up in South African showrooms. The EV6 is currently KIA's flagship electric offering in SA, starting around R1,200,000, which puts it in premium territory. If you're keen on jumping into the EV game right now, the best electric crossover under R1,300,000 in SA is indeed the KIA EV6, offering 429km range and rapid charging capabilities. However, if you're not in a rush, it might be worth holding fire until 2025-2026 when KIA's expanded EV lineup hits our shores with potentially more affordable options. For now, KIA's hybrid models like the Sorento Hybrid (around R850,000) offer a solid middle ground between petrol and full electric, giving you a taste of electrification without the hefty price tag or range anxiety.
