Kia strengthens its position as an electrification leader in the European automotive market with the launch of the EV9.
Kia announced on the 30th that it revealed the European version of the EV9 for the first time to media from over 20 major European countries, including Germany, the UK, France, and Italy during the “Kia Brand Summit,” held over two weeks starting from the 15th (local time) in Germany, and also presented its mid to long-term electrification strategy for the European market.
This event was organized not only for the local premiere of the EV9, which represents Kia’s electrification lineup but also to share Kia’s vision of accelerating its transformation into an electrification brand with the European market.
Jung Won-jeong, Head of Kia’s European Region Headquarters, said at the local event, “Kia is providing thrilling moments for the European market by showcasing innovative connected services that enhance customer experiences while simultaneously being the foundation for sustainable mobility solutions.”
Following the launch of the EV6, Kia’s first dedicated electric vehicle that won the title of “European Car of the Year,” the EV9 is set to make a significant impact in the European electric vehicle market. As the second model built on Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated electric vehicle platform, E-GMP, the EV9 is a large electric SUV that aims to capture the growing market.
The EV9 is not only characterized by its spaciousness and majestic design, made possible by a dedicated platform but also features cutting-edge technologies such as Highway Driving Pilot (HDP), Kia Connect Store, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates. Kia has also embedded the company’s efforts and commitment to sustainability into the EV9, applying ten essential sustainable materials.
Scheduled for local launch in the second half of this year, the European version of the EV9 features Ocean Matte Blue as the main exterior color, with some front design aspects differentiating it from the Korean and American models. Kia plans to actively expand electric vehicle sales in the European market by prominently showcasing the EV9 in the latter half of the year.
Kia aims to sell 93,000 electric vehicles in the European market this year and plans to increase that figure to 515,000 units by 2030. The company also set a goal to raise the proportion of electric vehicle sales in Europe from 17% this year to 74% by 2030.
In addition to expanding its electric vehicle sales, Kia intends to enhance customer convenience in electric vehicle use by strengthening partnerships with local charging infrastructure companies like Ionity and Digital Charging Solutions, actively contributing to the establishment of a local charging ecosystem. Kia is making available over 500,000 charging points across 28 European countries through collaborations with local partners.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr