Kia plans to almost triple its battery electric vehicle production in Europe over the next two years.
The announcement follows the launch of the brand’s new electric models, the EV2 and EV4, which were unveiled in August. The EV2, a compact and flexible car, appears to be at the center of the company’s new production strategy.
According to Ho Sung Song, CEO of Kia, the South Korean automaker plans to build about 100,000 EV2s per year at its plant in Žilina, Slovakia, by 2027.
Kia has also raised its production target for its first electric hatchback, the EV4. Over the next two years, Kia aims to produce more than 80,000 EV4s at the Žilina plant alone.
Adding those numbers to the EV4 Fastback or Sedan models built in Korea, “the combined global production of the EV4 should reach approximately 100,000 units,” Song told Automotive News Europe earlier this month.
Song explained that Kia aims to produce 100,000 EV2 and EV4 models globally each year, as that volume will be high enough to ensure profitability. But the new production goal is much higher than what Kia Europe CEO Marc Hedrich told Automotive News Europe back in August.
At that time, he stated that combined production of the EV2 and EV4 could account for 10% to 20% of the Žilina plant’s output in 2026, adding that a target of 20,000 to 30,000 EV4s “would certainly make sense” for next year.
However, Kia Europe representatives explained that the production plans changed after the EV4 received better-than-expected feedback following its August debut.
The EV4 became the first electric car from the Korean brand to be manufactured in Europe, while production of the EV2 is scheduled to begin in 2026.
Kia is investing US$125 million in the Žilina plant to produce both models. The factory currently has a capacity of 320,000 vehicles, but Kia stated that production could be expanded to 350,000 with overtime shifts.
Photos: Kia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
