Car: Kia focuses on hybrid models -April 9, 2024 at 8:46 pm

Paris (awp/afp) – Kia expects a big increase in its sales in the coming years and an increase in its production of hybrid models, the Korean car maker said on Tuesday in Seoul, during an investor meeting.

After a record year in 2023 with three million vehicles sold, Kia confirmed in a press release a sales target of 4.3 million units per year in 2030.

1.6 million of these cars should be electric, with 15 new models being launched between now and then, said the pioneer of the battery-powered car transition. The compact EV3 should extend the range downwards from 2024, before the arrival of the EV2 city car and EV5 SUV.

Kia, the world’s third-largest carmaker along with its partner Hyundai, also plans to launch two electric models in emerging markets, including India.

If the Korean manufacturer does not slow down the pace of electric vehicles, it intends to speed up hybrid and plug-in models, which could represent around 900,000 sales per year in 2030, i.e. a three-point increase in total sales compared to the previous plan. .

The brand plans to increase its range of hybrid vehicles from 6 models in 2024 to 9 in 2028.

With these hybrids, Kia wants to “face the uncertainty weighing on the global mobility sector” and remain “flexible”, explained its management.

Automakers have noted a slowdown in electric vehicle sales growth in Europe since the start of the year.

“If the demand for electric vehicles is expected to remain stable until 2030, its growth rate may be extraordinary in the short term,” estimates Kia. “Demand for electric vehicles may be affected by various factors such as a weakening of global economic growth, reductions in government procurement subsidies and a slowdown in the deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure. recharging,” adds the group.

Kia also intends to “counter the rise of its Chinese competitors” by offering connected features like many of its cars sold in emerging markets, such as remote updating.

The manufacturer also plans to build cars at its Chinese factories for other emerging markets.

The brand aims for sales of 101,000 billion (68 billion euros) in 2024 and an operating margin of 11.9%.

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