Kia
released its planning roadmap recently, and it turns out they have big plans down the pipeline for a host of new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). They intend to release a whopping 14 different BEVs by 2030. The Korean automaker initially planned to release 11 BEVs by 2026. However, the exciting release of the 2022 Kia EV6 electric crossover seems to have sparked a newer, bigger goal of 14 BEVs in the coming years, including two pickup trucks.
Kia is dreaming big
According to MotorTrend
, Kia wants to increase its global sales by 30% to 4 million vehicles by 2030 They want 25% of these vehicles to be fully electric, and 52% of them to be “eco-friendly” (hybrids or plug-in hybrids, for example). Two BEVs will be released per year, starting in 2023 with the EV9, which will be Kia’s large three-row flagship SUV. It will deliver exciting performance with a 0-62 mph time of 5 seconds, and an estimated range of 336 miles.
Kia is finally getting into the pickup truck game
Trucks by Kia aren’t currently available in the US. The company has been moving towards the truck market, albeit very slowly. The KCV-4 Mojave pickup truck concept car was unveiled in 2004 at the Chicago Auto Show, but they never ended up producing it. So, this announcement that Kia is releasing not one, but two, new pickups is pretty big!
So what will these trucks be like?
Kia has been secretive about these two new trucks, giving the public minimal details. One was described as a “dedicated” EV pickup, and the other is described as a “strategic model for emerging markets”.
Where will they be built?
According to Inside EVs
, the manufacturing plant in South Korea will be the main facility for transitioning to EV production, including research and development. However, Kia is also planning to manufacture some of these new EVs in other countries as well. Starting in 2025, smaller Kia EVs will be produced in Europe. Midsize SUVs and pickups will be manufactured in the U.S. beginning in 2024, presumably in the existing Georgia facility. The China market, also hungry for EVs, will see some mid-size vehicles produced there, and entry-size EVs will be manufactured in India starting around 2025.
New technology
Kia’s self-proclaimed “class-leading” technology will be on display in these new vehicles. Starting in 2025, all vehicles will have over-the-air updates, and in 2023, their new “AutoMode” autonomous feature will be available, starting in the EV9. While it won’t start as a fully-autonomous feature, it will allow for some semi-autonomous driving with its Highway Driving Pilot feature.
In 2026, the company plans to include AutoMode in all its vehicles, with Kia keeping its eye on fully-autonomous technology for the future.
How to insure your Kia
Once you finally get your hands on one of these sweet new Kia BEVs, you’re going to need car insurance. If you want to save money on car insurance, the Jerry
app is a good place to start. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy. And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
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