The Kia CV will go on to become the Korean carmaker’s first dedicated electric vehicle and is expected to make its debut next month
Last year, we had reported about Kia Motors’ plans of introducing a new dedicated electric vehicle in 2021 as a part of Kia’s Plan S global strategy. Kia will be launching 11 electric cars by 2025 under this plan, and the first EV, internally codenamed CV, is now all set to make its debut next month itself.
Ahead of its launch, the first dedicated Kia EV has been spied on test in Germany wearing heavy amounts of camouflage. The overall silhouette of the car reminds us of the Kia Imagine concept showcased in 2019. The roofline and A-pillars have been left uncovered, while Kia seems to have made sure that the rear-end is completely disguised.
Apart from that, the aerodynamically-optimized wheels, as well as the shark fin antenna, are also visible. The CV will be based on an entirely new Hyundai Motor Group platform. Known as the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the said architecture will be used for battery-electric sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. The Hyundai Motor Group claims that this platform offers a range of up to 500 km and an 800V charging capability.
Under its Plan S, Kia Motors plans to expand its EV portfolio which currently consists of the Niro EV and the Soul EV, by introducing completely new electric vehicles from the ground up, as well as electric variants of the current internal-combustion engine models on sale.
Kia aims to 11 fully-electric vehicles in its line-up by the end of 2025, which will help the automaker grab a 6.6% share in the EV market. Kia claims that EVs will drastically grow in popularity over the next few years, and it would be able to sell about 5,00,000 EVs annually by the year 2026.
It should be noted that there is no word from Kia regarding the EV’s launch in the Indian market. That being said, the current Kia portfolio in India consists of Seltos, Carnival as well as the Sonet. Both the Seltos and Sonet are all set to flaunt the new Kia logo from mid-2021 onwards.