South Korea: Kia plant is back online as pure EV facility
It has taken Kia about a year to remodel its plant in Gwangmyeong, which now manufactures only electric vehicles. While Kia has only just held the official opening ceremony, series production of the EV3 in the factory, which covers around 60,000 square metres, already started in the first half of the year. The EV4 will also be built in Gwangmyeong from the first half of 2025. According to Kia, the conversion cost 401.6 billion won, the equivalent of around 270 million euros.
“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,” said Jun Young Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Domestic Production Division at Kia. “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.”
The remodelling break scheduled for Gwangmyeong was announced in May 2023. Insiders already reported at the time that new electric models with an annual capacity of 150,000 units were to be built there, including the EV3, the EV4 and the already available electric flagship EV9. Kia announced the EV3 and EV4 in the form of studies in October 2023. The former is an electric compact SUV, while the latter is a mid-range electric saloon. Both are positioned below the familiar EV6. Flanked by the EV5 series model, which will also be unveiled in October 2023, Kia aims to cover the electric car market in the mid-price segment with these smaller electric vehicles. The EV3 is now also available to order.
In spring 2023, Kia also announced plans to build a new plant to produce electric PBV vehicles, with which the manufacturer is entering the light commercial vehicle segment. Studies of the vehicles were recently on display at the IAA Transportation in Hanover. Kia’s PBV plant is scheduled to open in the second half of 2025 with an annual capacity of 150,000 electric vehicles. It is currently being built on the site of Kia’s existing Hwaseong plant in Gyeonggi province.
Sister company Hyundai is also completing the construction activities in South Korea. It is building an EV plant with an annual capacity of 150,000 electric cars in Ulsan, South Korea. The new building will be Hyundai’s first new plant in Germany for 29 years. The last inauguration of a production facility (the one in Asan) dates back to 1996.
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