The Kia EV6 will be brought to China as an import and is expected to go on sale in August this year. It will also launch the EV5 in November, its first model to be produced in China.
Kia Motors, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co, is entering China's increasingly crowded electric vehicle (EV) market.
The South Korean automaker announced its official entry into the Chinese EV market at a launch event today, unveiling the EV5 Concept, EV9 Concept and EV6 GT.
Its first all-electric model offered in China, the EV6, will be introduced as an import and is expected to be launched in August of this year.
The EV6 is Kia's first all-electric vehicle, based on the dedicated EV platform E-GMP, and claims to be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in as fast as 3.5 seconds.The model is equipped with 800V fast charging capability, charging from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes.
Kia will also launch the EV5, its first global model to be built in China and debuting here, in November.
(Kia EV5 concept car)
Kia also plans to launch its flagship electric SUV EV9 in 2024, an entry-level all-electric SUV in 2025, a premium electric sedan based on a next-generation EV-specific platform in 2026, and a mid-size all-electric SUV in 2027.
The EV9 concept has a length of more than 5,000 mm and a wheelbase of 3,100 mm, with a 3-row, 6-seat interior layout.
The concept car will have an 800 V high-voltage fast charging system and can be charged up to 350 kW.
The EV9 will be Kia's first vehicle in China to be equipped with the highway self-driving system, and the production version is expected to be equipped with L3 assisted driving system.
(Kia EV9 concept car)
In China, Kia has a sales target of 450,000 units by 2030, of which 40 percent will be new energy vehicle (NEV) models.
Kia plans to launch the Kia brand app in China later this year, which will offer features including car shopping, car use, services, and infotainment.
The automaker will create sales channels in China including dealership stores as well as City Stores, and will set up special sections for NEV models in showrooms.
Kia will establish City Store city showrooms in the core business districts of China's first and second-tier key cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Notably, on November 20 last year, Kia announced the opening of its first City Store in China in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, where its EV6, an all-electric vehicle, will be one of the first models to be showcased in the store.
The City Store is a new channel for Kia's electrification transformation and a new platform to revolutionize the user experience, the company said at the time.