Kia looks to roll out multiple powertrains to meet India demand

New Delhi: Kia India is preparing to simultaneously introduce electric vehicles, hybrids and CNG models, underscoring its struggle to predict which powertrain will emerge as the dominant choice in the world's third-largest automobile market, a strategy its India chief said is placing a "huge burden" on carmakers. "Electrification is the main wave," Gwanggu Lee, managing director at Kia India told ET. "I don't have any doubt on that. But only the timing, the speed, something like that. We should be prepared to respond to real market trend."

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Unlike Europe, where EVs have rapidly attained prominence, or the US where hybrids have gained greater traction, India is seeing demand develop across powertrains, Lee said. Strong sales of CNG cars, which Kia hadn't anticipated, highlights how quickly customer preferences can shift in India.

"It is a huge burden on the OEM (original equipment manufacturers), but we have to do that," said Lee. "Hybrid is one of the options, and we have to do that. And then electric, and even CNG."

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Lee was speaking on the sidelines of the introduction of Sorento, Kia India's first three-row SUV which can seat up to seven. The SUV will be available in hybrid petrol variant in addition to diesel. With prices ranging from ₹27.99 lakh to ₹40.4 lakh-depending on the range and powertrain, Sorento will rival the Toyota Fortuner, Vokswagen Tayron, and Skoda Kodiaq, among others.

The introduction of the Sorento marks the start of Kia's multi-powertrain strategy, with the company also announcing its entry into the CNG market with the Carens and Carens Clavis models. Its EV portfolio is also set to expand.

CNG now accounts for more than 20% of cars sold in India-the second-largest powertrain segment. Kia also plans to introduce a hybrid version of the Seltos in 2027, while it showcased a hybrid version of the Carnival minivan on Friday. Lee expects Sorento hybrid to contribute over 60% of the SUV sales, stressing that premium customers may be more willing to absorb the higher upfront cost of hybrid technology.

Kia is targeting sales of 410,000 vehicles in India by 2030, with eight of 10 new models planned for the market expected to be electrified, including hybrids. It expects electrified vehicles comprising EVs and hybrids to account for more than 30% of sales by the turn of the decade.

The company is expanding EV capacity after response to its recently launched Syros EV exceeded expectations, Lee said. He, however, emphasised that affordability would dictate how quickly electrified powertrains can penetrate the mass market. "India has never made me go to sleep, go to bed," Lee said. "India is so dynamic."