At its 2022 Investor Day, Kia revealed an electrification road map, predicting 14 completely electric cars by 2027 and 1.2 million EV sales by 2030. It also stated that its EV9 SUV, which debuted in concept form at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, will be the first to use “Automode” automated driving technology.
Kia’s road map expands on its “Commitment S” development strategy, which was introduced in early 2021 and included new branding as well as a plan to produce seven EVs by 2027. The business now intends to more than quadruple that, with 14 BEV (battery electric vehicle) models available by 2027 and total EV sales of 1.2 million by 2030.
. It also intends to sell 4 million vehicles per year by 2030, with EVs accounting for little more than a quarter of that total — whereas automakers such as Mercedes-Benz intend to sell just BEVs by 2030.
The strategy remains ambitious, with 160,000 BEV sales this year and ambitions to increase that fivefold to 807,000 units in 2026 and 1.2 million by 2030. Kia will introduce at least two new electrified vehicles every year to meet those aims. One of these will be an electric pickup truck, as well as a “dedicated electric pickup truck and a strategic model for emerging markets,” according to the business.
Kia intends to launch its flagship electric vehicle, the EV9 SUV, by 2023.
Last year, it teased a concept version with squared-off Range Rover-like looks, a large 27-inch display, and a Tesla-like yoke instead of a steering wheel. Kia currently claims that it will be roughly 5 metres long, accelerate to 100 km/h (62 MPH) in five seconds, and travel 540 km (340 miles) on a single charge – with an additional 100 km of range available after only six minutes of charging.
For the first time, the EV9 will also include over-the-air (OTA) and feature-on-demand (FoD) capabilities, allowing owners to simply upgrade the software in their vehicle. “It will also be the first vehicle to include Kia’s innovative AutoMode autonomous driving technology,” the company stated. Following that, Automode will be “rapidly spread” throughout the company’s lineup.
