Kia unveils European-style EV9

Kia Corp. is consolidating its status as an electrification frontrunner in Europe with the unveiling of the EV9, its inaugural large domestic electric sports utility vehicle (SUV).

Revealed at the "Kia Brand Summit" held in Germany for 15 days from May 15, the European-targeted EV9 underlines Kia's mid- to long-term electrification strategy for the European market.

The summit served as a platform for Kia to share its ambitious transition plan toward becoming a fully electrified brand with journalists from over 20 European countries.

Riding on the success of the EV6, the first Korean brand vehicle chosen as the European Car of the Year, Kia is setting its sights once again on the European electric car market with the launch of the EV9.

Scheduled for a local launch later this year, the EV9 features a distinctive front design, setting it apart from its Korean and American counterparts. The key exterior color has been determined as Ocean Matte Blue.

Kia's ambitious roadmap includes the sale of 93,000 electric cars in the European market this year, with a target to increase electric vehicle sales to 515,000 units by 2030. The automaker aims to boost the proportion of its electric vehicle sales in Europe from 17% this year to 74% in 2030.

To accompany the expansion in electric vehicle sales, Kia is also bolstering partnerships with European charging infrastructure companies such as Ionity and digital charging solutions.

Through collaboration with local partners, the company aims to offer more than 500,000 charging points across 28 European countries.

Write to Nan-Sae Bin at binthere@hankyung.com