KIA India proposes to launch 14 models of electric vehicles by 2027

The Kia plant in Sri Sathya Sai district is producing roughly 1,200 units per day, says company’s chief administrative officer Kabdong Lee

Kia India, which began importing fully assembled Kia EV6 electric cars with the mileage of a 528 km per charge in May, is likely to announce manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) at its unit at Erramanchi in Sri Sathya Sai district by 2025. The company proposed to bring the vehicles in 14 models into the market by 2027 with EV9 being its leading brand.

At present, Kia India manufactures four variants at its manufacturing facility —Seltos, Carnival, Sonet, and Carens— in three shifts, producing almost one car per minute and roughly 1,200 units per day to meet the domestic and export demand, company’s chief administrative officer Kabdong Lee said.

At a media interaction at the Erramanchi plant, Mr. Kabdong said that production was curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic but now, it has come back to normal. After the first rollout of the Seltos car on August 31, 2019, the company has reached the 5 lakh-unit manufacturing mark. The company holding a 7.28% share in the Indian passenger vehicles market, he said.

Vehicles are being exported to 92 countries from the plant in India, with 20.3% of its cars made here being exported. The manufacturing facility has the capacity to produce 3,40,000 units a year and it will be expanded in the coming years. The factory has added many automated robotic hands since its inception on the shop floor, making it more cost-effective on all the variants of the cars. 

The KIA plant, along with its ancillary units, employs 16,712 persons at present and a majority of them are from the district and the State as per government guidelines, the CAO said, adding that the company is also investing in the well-being of people in its neighbourhood through CSR activities.