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Another day, another story of an automaker realizing that going all-in on EVs will take longer than expected. Ford and General Motors have both backtracked, saying they would produce more hybrids and plug-in hybrids to fill the gap left by wavering EV demand and now it’s Kia’s turn. The company recently announced that it would boost hybrid development to provide “maximum flexibility” to bolster what could be shifty EV demand in the short term.
“While the long-term EV demand for 2030 is expected to remain unchanged, the pace of demand growth may prove uneven in the near term,” the automaker’s April 5 press release stated. It continued, “To respond agilely to changes in the market environment, Kia will secure maximum flexibility in its lineup operation.”
Kia blamed slow global economic growth, weakening EV incentives, and shaky charging infrastructure as factors working against the move to full electrification. Though it held its 2030 projections in place, the automaker noted that it would boost its hybrid efforts to manage the short-term bumps in the road.
Though this might be seen as a step backward for the South Korean company, executives actually increased its sales targets from 2.4 to 2.5 million units in 2030. In the meantime, it said it would grow its hybrid catalog to include six models this year, two more by 2026, and a ninth in 2028. That builds on the existing hybrid lineup, which includes the Niro and Sorento Hybrids and the Sportage Hybrid/PHEV.
[Image: Kia]
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