Europe has put the banner of sustainability on its shoulder. The old continent is, by far, the most severe in the application of environmental plans in governments and companies. The regulations, and the astronomical fines that come with not complying with them, are the great challenge for manufacturers who want to market their cars in EU countries.
An obstacle that not only affects European brands, far from it. Asian firms, which had managed to earn their share of the pie with doses of patience, design and reliability, must also adapt to these new demands. Far from tame, Kia Motors Corporation understands this challenge as the possibility of leading the automotive industry. To do this, they have developed and presented Plan S, a medium and long-term strategy that establishes the transition towards electric vehicles and the mobility solutions of the future.
Kia’s current offering consists of city , compact and SUV models with powertrain variations. The Optima and the Niro can be purchased with a plug-in hybrid system (PEHV), a combination that gives them the blue sticker to circulate in 100% electric mode. The e-Niro SUV, together with the e-Soul, are the two zero-emission models in its portfolio, as of February 2020. According to Kia’s Plan S, this configuration will undergo a drastic change between now and 2025, the year that has been marked the brand to market 11 electric vehicles (EV ). To do this, the company will invest 29 trillion won (about 22.5 billion euros) in the development of new models, such as the 100% electric that will be presented in 2021.
If the calculations do not fail the Korean firm, following this path towards electrification would provide them with 6.6% of the global EV market share (excluding China). In addition, the manufacturer will offer personalized mobility services to solve global problems such as pollution, focusing its attention on the business of commercial vehicles and e-commerce. Han-woo Park, President and CEO of Kia Motors, stated at the annual meeting in January: “As the automotive industry undergoes turbulent changes, today is also an opportune time for Kia Motors to radically transform itself into a dedicated global company. to spearhead innovations based on customer value. ” Let’s see what Kia has raised to conquer the automotive world.
