South Korean carmaker Kia is currently working on a new mass-market EV for the Indian market, which is slated to arrive by 2025
Kia India recently launched its first electric car in the domestic market – EV6 – and people are already waiting for the brand to launch even more EVs in India. The carmaker has confirmed that more electric vehicles are coming soon, and it has also revealed that it is currently developing an affordable India-specific electric RV (Recreational Vehicle).
The brand has not revealed a lot of details about this upcoming electric RV. However, Kia did state that this will be a dedicated EV, scheduled to launch by 2025. The carmaker also labels the Carens MPV as an ‘RV’, so it stands to reason that this forthcoming electric RV will also be a three-row MPV.
As per speculations, Kia’s upcoming affordable EV could have a driving range of around 400-500 km on a single charge, likely with a single electric motor powering it. We’re not sure where this forthcoming EV will be positioned in the brand’s lineup; it will likely be more premium than Carens, but will be positioned below Carnival.
Reports state that Kia will locally manufacture EVs in India. The brand’s current electric vehicle offering, EV6, is brought to the Indian market via the CBU import route, and it is fairly expensive as a result (Rs. 59.95 lakh to Rs. 64.95 lakh, ex-showroom New Delhi). With local manufacturing, Kia’s future EVs in India would be priced competitively.
Previous reports had also stated that Kia is planning to launch Niro EV in India. The electric crossover is expected to arrive either later this year or in the first half of the next year. Kia Niro EV could be a CKD model, similar to its cousin – Hyundai Kona Electric. We expect a few other EVs by the brand to also arrive in the coming years.
Kia is aiming for 14 battery EVs in its global range by 2027, including even electric pickup trucks. The brand is also hoping to sell 1.2 million EVs annually by 2030. The above-mentioned affordable EV is also a part of this plan. We believe that Kia’s electric RV will not just be limited to the Indian market, rather it will be exported to a few international markets as well.