South Korean automaker Kia begins production of its latest battery-electric vehicle, assembling a BEV for the first time in Europe with its EV4 hatchback.
The 5-door midsize hatch is designed especially for the European market and is built on modernized production lines at the automaker’s Kia AutoLand Slovakia facility at Žilina.
The EV4 is built on parent Hyundai Motor Group’s electric global modular platform (E-GMP) and is available with two battery options.
The entry-level option has a 58.3 kWh battery pack good for 273miles (439 km), while the larger 81.4-kWh variant claims a maximum range of up to 391 miles (630 km).
Energy use functions include vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, and the car boasts an aluminum hood to reduce weight and enhance performance and handling.
Kia’s Žilina plant opened in 2004 and currently employs around 3,700 people with assistance from more than 600 production robots.
Its production lines have undergone a €108 million ($125.7 million) modernizing program including the addition of a BEV battery conveyor at the chassis line in the assembly shop.
The plant also produces internal-combustion-engine, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Kia XCeed and Kia Sportage.
Žilina’s flexibility in powertrain production allows the brand to match consumer demand, says Marc Hedrich, president and CEO of Kia Europe.
“Through the expansion of our production capabilities, we are supporting our diverse European customer base even more,” he adds.
The sedan version of Kia’s latest BEV model, the EV4 Fastback, will not be sold in Europe and is manufactured in Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong EVO plant in Korea.
