Kia plans 14 new all-electric models by 2030

To achieve this, the company not only wants to sell 1.2 million all-electric vehicles annually by 2030 but also to take off as a mobility solution provider. This ambitious goal was announced by Kia CEO Ho Sung Song at the CEO Investors Day 2022.

The roadmap, dubbed "Plan S", contains three key points: People, Planet and Profit. Under these core points, Kia wants to increase customer value and attract talent, reduce CO2 emissions and generate profits. To achieve this, Kia aims to drive electrification and sell 1.2 million all-electric vehicles and a total of 4 million vehicles annually by 2030 (of which more than 2 million will be "eco-friendly"), increasingly integrate vehicle connectivity and autonomous driving technologies in all vehicles, and become the No. 1 brand in the global PBV (Purpose-Built Vehicle) market by 2030. As the CEO explained, "Kia has undergone a complete transformation, with changes incorporate vision, logo, product design and strategy. We will become even more customer-centric." Following the initial unveiling of the new Plan S strategy, Kia 2021 has recorded the highest sales and profits in the company's history.

However, there is still a long way to go to reach the target: in markets with strict environmental regulations, such as Korea, North America, Europe and China, Kia needs to increase the sales share of environmentally friendly cars by 78 per cent by 2030 (52 per cent overall). Currently, the figure is only 17 per cent. Therefore, from 2023 to 2027, a total of 14 new all-electric models will be launched, at least two each year, including two pick-up models and one entry-level model. In 2023, the EV9 will be introduced, a large SUV with a length of around five metres and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in five seconds. The range is expected to be around 540 kilometres. For the first time, the EV9 will have OTA (Over the Air) and FoD (Feature on Demand) services that allow customers to purchase software features. Kia's AutoMode technology for autonomous driving is also expected to be introduced in the EV9. The feature will then be available in all new models in 2026. By 2030, Kia also wants to increase the energy density in the installed batteries by 50 per cent and reduce system costs by 40 per cent. But there is also a big focus on product design and performance: a GT High-Performance variant is to be offered in future for all fully electric models, starting with the EV6.

The sales target for battery-electric models for 2022 is 160,000 units. By 2026, the target is 807,000. By then, the E-division should already contribute 39 per cent to the company's profit. To be able to deliver these quantities, about 21 billion euros will be invested between 2022 and 2026.