Kia’s EV rollout is to commence.
Kia will bring many more electric cars in the footsteps of the EV6.
The South Korean car maker will follow Hyundai’s lead with the Ioniq brand, producing a line-up of dedicated electric cars on a dedicated electric platform. Models will be launched in markets including the US and Europe, but also Australia.
There will be a series of ‘EV’ models, like the EV6, but smaller and bigger. Such models will likely include an EV4, and also an EV8 or EV9 that will be a big SUV – something with seating for a family and a good range.
Appearance is likely to also echo the EV6, with iterational changes as the brand moves into the next decade. Design features will include its headlights, sharp nose and full-width LED light bar at the rear to be carried over to these new models.
On the technology side, with the E-GMP platform’s 800-volt charging system, we can also expect ultra-rapid charging capability, like on the EV6.
Kia currently plans to launch 11 new electric cars by 2025. Seven of these will be dedicated EVs, including the EV6 and the two others mentioned above, while the other five will be derivatives of the brand’s existing line-up. Knipping said that “we have to work out what is the priority, the sectors where to push EV and where you can lean on ICE [internal combustion-engined] platforms.”
As Kia pushes forward with its electrification strategy, we could see the brand’s EV7 or EV8 large SUV as soon as the first half of 2022, while the smaller EV4 may arrive later in 2022 or early in 2023, with sales beginning a few months after that.
