One of the renowned and well-known car manufacturers is yet to decide what EVs or hybrids should they make available in the Indian Market. Presently, KIA sells Carnival, Sonet, and Seltos India.
The gradual shift towards electric vehicles means that they do plan to introduce electric variants in India too. Presently, KIA’s EV and hybrid line-up consist of the EV6, Soul EV, Niro EV, and Optima plug-in hybrid.
KIA has already made it known to the public that they will not release any new models for the Indian market in 2021, both electric or gas-powered. Similarly, we also know the Korean manufacturer to make and sell electric-powered vehicles.
Moreover, KIA is unsure about selling hybrids or electric cars. The reason for this, as one can speculate, is because of the limited amount of charging in India, which comparatively is lower than other developed countries in the world.
But KIA is still learning its possibilities in the Indian market. At the moment, the Seltos and the Sonet have been a good investment, to say the least. People like these cars. As for the Carnival, its success depends.
The venture of KIA Motors into the Indian market has been good. Even getting the Best Car Manufacturer of The Year Award by carandbike. From the same organization, the KIA Sonet and Carnival have also received awards.
Tae-Jin Park, the Chief Sales and Business Strategy Officer for KIA India said “We are carefully studying which segment is best here, compared to EV vehicles. When we compare hybrid and EVs it is not finalized, which one is better. Some competitors are focussing on hybrid, some are focussing on EV. We (at) Kia India are not finalized yet.”
Hope is not lost for all those who would love an EV from KIA, granted there may be some speculation as to when the electric-powered models may arrive in India. KIA’s global lineup consists of EVs and hybrids, as mentioned before. Some, such as the EV6 and Optima PHEV are recently unveiled. The Soul and Niro were showcased at the Auto Expo 2020.
KIA’s intent on entering the EV market in India is visible, as KIA had given one of the Soul EVs to the state of Andhra Pradesh to promote electric mobility. But it will be hard to say which model will come to the Indian market.
As of the moment, the current selling models of KIA, the Seltos, and the Sonet are having a facelift, the primary focus being on the new KIA logo, which does look more defined than its predecessor. KIA also will introduce a new SUV. It is expected that the SUV will be a 7-seater and based on the Seltos. This phantom model is expected to hit markets by 2022.
The future of the automotive industry lies in a greener future, that is paved by a greener path. This path includes cutting off fuels that are harmful to nature. In this path, we are yet to see how it will influence the Indian market. Moreover, we can only wait and see what KIA might decide about the EV or hybrid problem that is on their hands.
