Kia begins European EV production with new EV4 Hatchback – Tech Digest

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• Kia starts production of electric vehicles at its European plant in Slovakia for the first time

• EV4 hatchback will be manufactured at Kia Slovakia’s modernised production lines

• The five-door variant is designed specifically for Europe

• The EV4 is the company’s first fully electric vehicle to be built in Europe, in line with Kia’s electrification strategy

Kia has officially started production of electric vehicles at its European plant in Slovakia for the first time, marking a significant milestone in its electrification strategy for the continent.

The inaugural model to roll off the newly modernised production lines is the EV4, a five-door electric hatchback designed specifically for the European market.

The move follows a €108 million investment to upgrade Kia’s manufacturing facility in Žilina, Slovakia, which will now build fully electric cars alongside its existing production of hybrid and internal combustion engine models. The plant, which employs around 3,700 people and uses over 600 advanced robots, is a cornerstone of Kia’s European operations and has a capacity of 350,000 vehicles annually.

“The start of EV4 production is a huge milestone for us,” said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe. “It demonstrates the technical capability and flexibility of our European operations. Through the expansion of our production capabilities, we are supporting our diverse European customer base even more.”

Built on Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV4 is available with two battery options: a 58.3kWh and a larger 81.4kWh variant. The larger battery offers a range of up to 391 miles on a single charge. The model also boasts advanced Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities, allowing owners to power external devices or even feed energy back into the grid.

The EV4’s design, which features an aluminium bonnet for reduced weight, combines bold, sharp lines and is tailored to meet the needs of European customers, claims Kia. The launch of the European-built EV4 hatchback will be followed by the production of its saloon-bodied sibling, the EV4 Fastback, at Kia’s plant in Korea.

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