- Kia has opened its first car plant dedicated to producing EVs, in its home territory of South Korea.
- The site, named the Gwangmyeong EVO Plant, will have the capacity to produce 150,000 electric cars annually, with production beginning this year.
- Production will commence with the recently-revealed Kia EV3, followed by the future production version of its current concept, the EV4.
Kia goes all in on electrification at new factory
The site, which has historically produced ICE vehicles, was transformed in an investment worth over $306 million. Not only has the facility been retooled to support EV production, with boosts also being made to sustainability of production – such as a switch to water-based painting, instead of previous oil-based painting, for new EVs at the factory.
Whilst this is the first Kia factory to go full EV, the manufacturer is investing at other factories worldwide, to gear up for EV production. Globally, Kia is hoping to offer an entire fully-electric lineup by 2030, with 1.6 million annual sales of such cars, by the same date. Alongside this new Gwangmyeong EVO Plant, Kia plans to open one more EV-dedicated factory in the coming years.
The move signifies a key commitment to EVs from the manufacturer. Whilst it will still continue operating factories that produce ICE cars and EVs on the same line, it stands out as one of only a few manufacturers already opening facilities that exclusively make EVs.
Jun Young Choi, Kia’s Executive Vice President and Head of Domestic Production Division, commented at the launch:
“The completion of the Kia Gwangmyeong EVO Plant solidifies Kia’s first step as an EV leader following the company’s brand relaunch in 2021. With the goal of providing sustainable mobility solutions, we will lead innovation in the EV market and fulfil our responsibilities in helping to deliver a sustainable future.”
