Kia India has had a strong start in India, with the highest-ever monthly sales of 28,634 units in January 2023. At the recently concluded 2023 Auto Expo the South Korean automaker announces its plans for India based on the country’s response to EVs and the changing mobility climate. Kia discussed on an upcoming mass-market EV that is currently being developed, Kia’s new Purpose-Built-Vehicles (PBV) business, and why a hybrid model is not in the works.
Kia India plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore in the country, primarily for EV-related R&D, manufacturing, and charging infrastructure development, as announced in January 2023. Brar confirmed that the investment will be part of the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and will be used to develop an India-centric EV.
The mass-market EV will be manufactured at Kia India’s existing plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
The plant is ready for electric vehicle production and has already exceeded its installed capacity of 3 lakh vehicles per year. Kia intends to increase production capacity further by improving efficiency, and the company has recently added a third shift to the production lines.
Kia India appears to be working on PBVs for use in public service applications such as the police and medical sectors. In this regard, attendees at the recent Auto Expo got a look at a couple of Kia Carens MPVs designed for law enforcement and ambulance use. Kia’s PBV business isn’t just focused on India; the company aspires to be the global leader in PBVs by 2030.
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