Explained: Kia’s Ambitious 2030 Roadmap

Kia has revealed its ambitious 2030 roadmap, where it aims to be one of the top players in the electric vehicle (EV), autonomous driving technologies, and connected car tech space. The Korean carmaker plans to have no less than 14 all-electric vehicles in its lineup by 2027. Also, the manufacturer has announced its sales targets, which we’ll be talking about as well. 

Here’s all the dope:

14 EVs To Be Present By 2027 

By 2027, Kia aims to have at least 14 all-electric vehicles in its lineup. It plans to launch two electric vehicles every year, and these upcoming vehicles will be of all sorts of shapes and sizes, like an entry-level model, pickup trucks, and even large luxury SUVs. 

The next all-new electric vehicle from Kia will be the EV9, a flagship luxury SUV that will measure around five metres in length. Now, Kia is yet to divulge details, but the press release states it can do 0-100kmph in around 5 seconds, will have a driving range of around 540km, and can deliver 100km in a six minute charge. 

The EV9 will also push the pinnacles for Kia when it comes to technology, which brings us to the next point. 

To Focus On Connected Car And Autonomous Driving Tech 

Hyundai and Kia were one of the first movers in the connected car space in India. And globally, Kia is planning to push the boundaries with more connected and autonomous driving technologies. 

Starting with connected car tech, all Kia vehicles from 2025 onwards will be connected car vehicles and will support Over The Air (OTA) and Feature On Demand (FOD) services. This will allow owners to constantly update their vehicles, and will even allow them to install new features if and when they are introduced. 

On the other hand, Kia’s autonomous driving technology, branded ‘AutoMode’, will start rolling on to vehicles starting with the EV9 from 2023 onwards. The main highlight here is the  Highway Driving Pilot where the vehicle will take control without any need for driver intervention. Fine tuning and optimisation will be done via over the air updates. 

Kia has also stated that from 2026 onwards new models launched in major markets will get this technology. And the carmaker is targeting an adoption rate of over 80 percent. So, we hope this is on the bucket list for our market as well, Kia India. 

To Focus On PBVs 

Ok, this term might be new for us, but PBV means Purpose Built Vehicles, which gives customers services based on their needs. In the short term, Kia will be developing its existing models to satisfy customers' needs. But, in the future, the Korean carmaker will develop a customisable EV platform called the skateboard. 

The main purpose behind this development is that Kia can modify this platform according to the needs of the customer. Be it the length, height, width, and even the shape of the body. The first model based on this platform is expected in 2025, and as we mentioned earlier, it will support connected car and autonomous driving technologies.

And The End – Sales Targets 

 

Naturally, all of this is being done to ensure Kia is one of the top players in the EV space. And Kia is aiming to have over 4 million units on the road by 2030. The backbone behind this target is the expansion of electrified vehicle sales like plug-in hybrids, hybrids, and of course, pure electric vehicles. 

From a current share of 17 percent for Kia’s electrified vehicles, Kia aims to increase this figure to 52 percent by 2030. 

Any India Relevance? 

At the moment, Kia India is yet to give details on when it plans to launch its first electric vehicle in India. It did display the Soul EV at the Auto Expo 2020, and recently, the EV6 name has been trademarked in India. But there is no clear cut plan. More will follow on this space once we get information flowing about Kia’s future plans in the country.