South Korean automaker Kia will continue to focus on electric vehicles though it is open to bringing its plug-in hybrids.

Kia India senior VP Harpreet Singh Brar said: “We think EVs are the way forward towards zero emissions and we are aligning ourselves with the government policy. However, we are also open to hybrids and will have hybrid vehicles if the market so demands.” He was speaking at the launch of the EV9.

Kia is on track to fulfil its target of selling 4 lakh units annually in India by 2030.

With the launch of the Carnival Limousine and the EV9 and the plan to roll out two mass-market vehicles, Brar expects double-digit growth next year.

“The first mass-market vehicle to be launched will be an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle in 2025. This will be followed by an electric version of the same vehicle in 2026.”

Both the Carnival Limousine and EV9 will be available as CBUs. The Carnival Limousine is priced at ₹63,90,000 and the EV9at ₹1.29 lakh.

“We want to position ourselves as a leading RV (recreational vehicle) brand in India and would be looking at going deeper into the SUV market,” Gwangju Lee, Kia India MD and CEO, said.

“This year, we were expecting a flat number to utilise the current portfolio. New products in our portfolio will help drive growth. Once our network is improved, it will further strengthen our presence,” he said.

The launch of the new Carnival luxury MPV and the EV9 SUV in India will help position the brand as a premium player in the market.

“We’ll be looking at the fleet segment more closely next year onwards. The SUV segment growth will depend on the growth of the economy. We’re closely monitoring the market and will wait to see how different technologies such as EVs evolve,” he said.

Kia India reported vehicle wholesales of 1.27 lakh units in April-September 2024, registering a growth of six per cent over the same period last year.