Kia Motors Announces Direction for 'Electrification Business and Gen Z Targeting' at Beijing Motor Show

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] On the 26th (local time), Kia Motors announced its mid- to long-term strategy and vision for China and unveiled new vehicles targeting the Chinese market at the '2020 Beijing International Motor Show (hereafter Beijing Motor Show)' held at the Beijing International Exhibition Center (CIEC) in China.

On this day, Kia Motors announced its mid- to long-term strategy and vision to develop into a leading brand in the Chinese market in line with the business system transformation to establish itself as a global leading electric vehicle brand.

They plan to promote the transition to an electrification business system by 2025 and aim to increase the sales ratio of electrified models to over 30% by 2030.

Additionally, they are expected to enhance brand competitiveness through ▲market share growth by nurturing volume models ▲annual release of premium vehicles ▲expansion of advanced driver assistance systems and connected technology applications.

Li Feng, General Manager (Vice President) of Dongfeng Yueda Kia, said, “Based on the new strategy, we will continue to steadily develop in the fiercely competitive Chinese automobile market,” adding, “We will do our best to become a brand leading the Chinese market with differentiated technology and products.”

Meanwhile, Kia Motors unveiled the new Carnival for the first time in the Chinese market. The new Carnival, a GUV that breaks away from the typical minivan image, features a sophisticated design, premium interior space, and state-of-the-art convenience features, and is scheduled to be sold in the Chinese market from the second half of next year.

The exterior gives a dynamic and grand impression, with a radiator grille that blurs the boundary between the daytime running lights and LED headlamps, creating a strong impression. The interior pursues a futuristic sensibility and optimizes design to enhance space utilization.

Kia also showcased the China-specific All New K5, which was launched in early September. The new K5, Kia’s flagship sedan, has received a positive response from Generation Z in China.

The China-specific new K5 features a sporty exterior design with a Tiger Nose grille that is wider than the previous model and headlamps reminiscent of a heartbeat, creating a more sophisticated atmosphere. The interior implements an advanced image with a three-dimensional display design and a large 12.3-inch cluster (instrument panel).

In particular, it applies the third-generation new platform (i-GMP) to achieve weight reduction while ensuring collision safety, and is equipped with a gasoline 1.5 turbo engine featuring the world’s first continuously variable valve duration (CVVD) technology, delivering top power performance and fuel efficiency competitiveness.

Kia expects that the flagship model K5, already recognized globally for its excellent design and outstanding product quality, will also capture the preferences of customers in the Chinese market.

Sven Patuschka, Director of Hyundai-Kia China Technology Research Institute, said, “Kia is striving to develop products based on the needs of young Chinese customers, and the new Carnival and China-specific K5 are the embodiment of this effort,” adding, “We will continue to release vehicles with youthful sensibility to achieve our vision as a trendsetter in China.”

In addition, Kia prepared a 1,191 m2 (approximately 360 pyeong) exhibition space at the 2020 Beijing Motor Show, held from the 26th to October 5th, offering a variety of attractions.

They displayed a total of 10 vehicles including mass-produced cars such as the K5, K3, KX3, KX5, and Sportage, the new Carnival, and the K3 China Touring Car Championship (CTCC) racing car, along with three exhibits related to the third-generation platform and powertrain applied to the K5. In particular, to uniquely convey Kia’s technology targeting young Chinese consumers, separate zones for the K5 and CTCC racing cars were set up.

The K5 zone featured ▲a show car reproducing functions commanded by Baidu 3.0 UVO through an LED screen attached to the front of the vehicle ▲the third-generation platform applied to the K5 and a robot arm moving to music beside it ▲a gasoline 1.5 turbo engine with CVVD technology ▲and a gasoline 2.0 turbo engine. The CTCC racing car zone offered a racing game program where visitors could experience the CTCC racing car through a spinning bike, increasing customer interest.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.