2026 Kia CEO Investor Day: Kia to Drive Exponential Growth & Manufacturing Innovation by Expanding Its Full Electrified Vehicle Lineup and Strengthening Future Business Capabilities

Kia has unveiled an ambitious mid- to long-term strategy aimed at accelerating its growth and innovation across electrified vehicles and future mobility technologies. The company targets global annual sales of 4.13 million units by 2030, representing a 4.5 percent market share, up from a projected 3.35 million units and 3.8 percent share in 2026. Central to this plan is a significant expansion of its electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) lineups, with 14 EV models and 13 HEV models expected by 2030, alongside a goal of one million annual EV sales and 1.1 million HEV sales. Kia is also focusing on purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) to strengthen its presence in the light commercial vehicle market, aiming for 232,000 PBV sales by 2030 with a full range of PV5, PV7, and PV9 models. The company plans to accelerate growth in key regions, including the U.S., Europe, and emerging markets, with specific sales targets of over one million units in the U.S. and nearly 750,000 in Europe by 2030. To support this expansion, Kia will optimise production through dedicated EV hubs in Korea, Europe, and the U.S., and enhance charging infrastructure in partnership with global providers. Autonomous driving and robotics form a core part of Kia’s future business capabilities, with the development of its first software-defined vehicle (SDV) slated for completion by late 2027. The rollout of Level 2++ autonomous urban driving technology is planned for early 2029, supported by strategic partnerships such as with NVIDIA to advance sensor standardisation and data-driven improvements. Robotics will be integrated into last-mile delivery solutions using Kia’s PBVs, with the deployment of the Atlas manufacturing innovation platform beginning in 2028 at Hyundai Motor Group’s plant in Korea and expanding to Kia AutoLand Georgia in 2029. Financially, Kia intends to invest KRW 49 trillion (approximately £33 billion) over the next five years, with KRW 21 trillion allocated specifically to future business ventures including electrification and autonomous technologies. The company aims to achieve KRW 170 trillion in revenue by 2030, alongside a 10 percent operating profit margin and KRW 17 trillion in operating profit. Kia’s President and CEO, Ho Sung Song, emphasised that EVs, HEVs, autonomous driving, and robotics will be pivotal to the company’s fastest growth phase yet, underscoring a proactive approach to evolving market conditions and customer demands.