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Hyundai’s sister Kia is currently riding a wave of success. The extremely dynamically positioned all-electric EV6 (starting from 49,950 francs) was already a big hit when it was launched two years ago; The large and elegant EV9 (starting from 75,950 francs) now launched shocks even the stylish premium competition in Europe. But that’s not all: in the next three years, the dynamic arm of the Hyundai Group will send four more electric vehicles to international markets, possibly putting great pressure on one or two of its rivals.
“Our electric portfolio should cover a wide range from 30,000 to 80,000 francs in the coming years,” explains Spencer Cho, Kia’s chief product planner. The new electric trio, consisting of EV3, EV4 and EV5, is intended to compete globally with a price range of 35,000 to 50,000 francs against strong electric competition from China, Europe and America. More or less exclusively for Europe, the EV2 entry-level model (starting at around 30,000 francs) will be added from 2026, which will compete with compact electric vehicles such as the VW ID.2all, which will be launched in 2025.
Great expectations for EV5
Expectations are particularly high for the new EV5, which, with its length of 4.62 meters, even at a second glance looks like a copy of the EV9, which is positioned higher and is more than 40 centimeters longer. Although the EV5 is based on the variable E-GMP platform on which many other electric models from Hyundai, Kia and the flagship Genesis are based, the new electric SUV produced in South Korea and China does not feature particularly fast 800-volt charging technology. . The drive range extends from 204 to 313 hp (150 to 230 kW) and front- or all-wheel drive. Different battery suppliers for production in Korea and China also mean different capacities between 58 and 88 kWh, with a range of up to 720 kilometers.
After the big Kia EV9 goes on sale this quarter and its more compact SUV sibling, the EV5, in 2025, the boldly designed midsize sedan EV4 and two small electric SUVs EV3 and EV2 will be the next models to follow. Although Kia has so far refrained from making clear statements about the end of the internal combustion engine models in its portfolio, the Koreans still do not want to make promises on this issue. “In the so-called emerging markets, electromobility will not spread as quickly as in other markets,” said Kia CEO Ho Sung Song. But if you take a closer look at Kia’s innovations in the coming years, you will quickly notice that the most interesting models will fly fully electric across various continents.
Kia helps expand charging network
By 2026, one in every four new Kia sales will be fully electric, and by 2030, this rate will increase to almost 40 percent, or 1.6 million electric vehicles. “To make electromobility attractive to our customers, we want to offer them a full range of electric vehicles in all price segments and increase the availability of charging infrastructure,” promises CEO Ho Sung Song.
Koreans do not rely on their own charging networks, instead participating in relevant market-specific networks. In Europe, the focus is on Ionity’s charging network, which aims to deliver 7,000 fast charging points within two years. In North America, Kia and Hyundai are participating in a wide-ranging network collaboration that includes companies such as Stellantis, BMW, GM, Mercedes and Honda. More than 30,000 fast charging points are expected to be installed in North America by 2030. And of course, the South Korean charging network Epit, where e-mobility has not yet made much progress, also needs to be supported so that the infrastructure can reach at least 3,500 public stations within two years.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
