In July alone, Kia sold a total of 9,624 units, including 1,555 fully electric vehicles, bringing the grand total of Kia EVs sold in the UK to 50,614. The 50,000th Kia EV sold was a rear-wheel-drive EV6 'GT-Line S' in Runway Red, registered on July 27th at Allen Kia Bath.
The Niro EV and the EV6 were the top contributors to this milestone. The Niro EV ranked as the sixth best-selling EV in the UK in that month, with 872 sales, while the EV6 had sold 4,539 units year-to-date.
Notably, Kia has sold a total of 10,698 EVs this year, accounting for more than a fifth of their total EV sales since 2015. The brand's EV sales have been on a steady rise, reaching 16,368 in 2022 and indicating the growing popularity of their fully electric range, which currently includes the EV9, EV6, Niro EV, and Soul EV.
Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia UK Limited, expressed the importance of surpassing 50,000 EV sales and highlighted the brand's commitment to having nine EV models by 2027. He credited their pioneering EV products and launch strategy, which began eight years ago with the Soul EV and is now led by the award-winning EV6 and highly anticipated EV9.
Kia's success in EV sales extends to their eco models, with nearly one in every two Kia cars sold being an electrified model (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric). This year alone, Kia has sold 29,222 eco cars, marking a record performance and positioning the brand as the third best-selling for eco models in the UK year-to-date, with a nine percent growth compared to the previous year.
Kia EV6
Kia's EV journey began in April 2015 with the launch of the first production EV, the Soul EV, which offered a range of 132 miles from its 27kWh battery. Subsequent models, such as the e-Niro and the second-generation Soul EV, further expanded Kia's EV lineup. Notably, the e-Niro made history as the first fully electric winner of the What Car? Car of the Year in 2019.
In 2021, Kia introduced the EV6, showcasing a new 'opposites united' design direction and advanced technology, including 800V charging capabilities. The EV6 received accolades, winning both the What Car? Car of the Year and the European Car of the Year in 2022.
This year, Kia added the EV9 seven-seat electric SUV to its lineup, featuring a 99.8kWh battery with over 300 miles of range per charge and the same 800V charging capabilities as the EV6.
Looking ahead, Kia plans to launch 15 EVs globally by 2027, with nine of them targeted for the UK, as part of its 'Plan S' business strategy.
Source: Kia UK
