Kia to invest 49 tln won by 2030 to boost future mobility competitiveness
Yonhap News
Choi Kyong-ae
KO
2026-04-09 06:45
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, sa...
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Thursday it will invest 49 trillion won (US$33 billion) in facilities and research and development (R&D) through 2030 to strengthen its position in future mobility.
The planned investment for 2026-2030 represents an increase of 7 trillion won from the previous five-year plan, with 43 percent allocated to electrification, autonomous driving and robotics, the company said in a statement.
Kia aims to expand its electric vehicle (EV) lineup from 11 models in 2026 to 14 by 2030, targeting global EV sales of 1 million units despite a prolonged industry slowdown.
At the same time, the company will continue to broaden its internal combustion engine and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) offerings to offset weak EV demand. HEVs include both conventional gasoline hybrids and plug-in hybrid models.
Among upcoming models is an extended-range electric version of the Tasman pickup, built on a body-on-frame platform, which is scheduled for launch in the U.S. market in 2030.
To meet future EV demand, Hyundai Motor Group -- which includes Kia and its larger affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. -- plans to develop a next-generation dedicated EV platform to replace the current E-GMP architecture, with improved energy efficiency.
In autonomous driving, Kia plans to introduce its first software-defined vehicle (SDV) by 2027, equipped with Level 2 highway driving capabilities. By early 2029, the company aims to deploy enhanced Level 2++ systems capable of operating on both highways and urban roads.
Level 2 systems require drivers to remain engaged, continuously monitor driving conditions and be ready to take control at all times.
In robotics, Kia plans to deploy the life-sized Atlas humanoid robot -- developed by U.S.-based Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor subsidiary -- at its Georgia plant in late 2029, following its initial rollout at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in 2028.
"Building on advancements in brand value, electrification, purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) over the past five years, Kia will accelerate growth in EVs, hybrids, autonomous driving and robotics," Kia President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Song Ho-sung said at the company's 2026 CEO Investor Day in Seoul.
He added that the company will proactively respond to market changes with differentiated strategies despite external uncertainties.
Kia earlier said it will work to sell 3.35 million vehicles globally this year, up 6.8 percent from 2025. It aims to sell 4.13 million units in 2030.
The automaker also aims to post an operating profit of 10.2 trillion won on sales of 122.3 trillion won in 2026, which would respectively mark a 12.4 percent and 7.2 percent on-year increase.
Additionally, Kia seeks to achieve a 6.2 percent market share in the United States by 2030, with annual sales of 1.02 million vehicles, supported by an expanded lineup of hybrid models, it said earlier.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr(END)
The planned investment for 2026-2030 represents an increase of 7 trillion won from the previous five-year plan, with 43 percent allocated to electrification, autonomous driving and robotics, the company said in a statement.
Kia aims to expand its electric vehicle (EV) lineup from 11 models in 2026 to 14 by 2030, targeting global EV sales of 1 million units despite a prolonged industry slowdown.
At the same time, the company will continue to broaden its internal combustion engine and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) offerings to offset weak EV demand. HEVs include both conventional gasoline hybrids and plug-in hybrid models.
Among upcoming models is an extended-range electric version of the Tasman pickup, built on a body-on-frame platform, which is scheduled for launch in the U.S. market in 2030.
To meet future EV demand, Hyundai Motor Group -- which includes Kia and its larger affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. -- plans to develop a next-generation dedicated EV platform to replace the current E-GMP architecture, with improved energy efficiency.
In autonomous driving, Kia plans to introduce its first software-defined vehicle (SDV) by 2027, equipped with Level 2 highway driving capabilities. By early 2029, the company aims to deploy enhanced Level 2++ systems capable of operating on both highways and urban roads.
Level 2 systems require drivers to remain engaged, continuously monitor driving conditions and be ready to take control at all times.
In robotics, Kia plans to deploy the life-sized Atlas humanoid robot -- developed by U.S.-based Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor subsidiary -- at its Georgia plant in late 2029, following its initial rollout at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in 2028.
"Building on advancements in brand value, electrification, purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) over the past five years, Kia will accelerate growth in EVs, hybrids, autonomous driving and robotics," Kia President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Song Ho-sung said at the company's 2026 CEO Investor Day in Seoul.
He added that the company will proactively respond to market changes with differentiated strategies despite external uncertainties.
Kia earlier said it will work to sell 3.35 million vehicles globally this year, up 6.8 percent from 2025. It aims to sell 4.13 million units in 2030.
The automaker also aims to post an operating profit of 10.2 trillion won on sales of 122.3 trillion won in 2026, which would respectively mark a 12.4 percent and 7.2 percent on-year increase.
Additionally, Kia seeks to achieve a 6.2 percent market share in the United States by 2030, with annual sales of 1.02 million vehicles, supported by an expanded lineup of hybrid models, it said earlier.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr(END)