Kia to address range anxiety ahead of affordable EV launch

New Delhi: South Korean car-maker Kia is looking to expand its electric vehicle charging infrastructure ahead of the launch of its mass market electric car in 2025 which is aimed at a more price sensitive consumer base, Kia India Managing Director and chief executive officer Tae-Jin Park said at a media briefing on Thursday.

“Before we introduce our mass market EV model, we will try to build our own charging infrastructure. We have introduced fast chargers at 16 of our dealerships, and will next year introduce a 90 kilowatt fast charger that will be installed at charging stations in most tier 1 and 2 cities,” Park said.

The mass segment EV will be manufactured locally in India and the proposed reduction of import duties on EVs could nudge the company into introducing more premium EV models in the country, he said. Apart from EVs, CNG and hybrid models are also in considera to increase the company’s sustainability-focused portfolio.

During the global premiere of the latest version of its best selling compact SUV Sonet in New Delhi, the company also unveiled an ambitious business plan that will see production capacity boosted to 4 lakh units from the 3-3.5 lakh it currently produces at its manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh. The plan also includes the addition of 100 more sales touch points to the 429 it has right now over the next year. The company hopes these efforts will result in a sales growth of 10%.