Kia to launch first EV in 2011

Kia Motors, South Korea’s second largest automobile manufacturer, will launch its first electric vehicle (EV) on November 2011, reports the Korea Times. Hong Johnhee, director of Hyundai’s EV development group, said that its name has not yet been decided, but it will be a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) similar to Kia’s Morning compact CUV. The Hyundia-Kia automotive group plans to produce almost 2,500 units of EVs in total by the end of 2012. Of this total, Hyundai will produce just 500 units of its EV, the BlueOn, while Kia will produce the remainder. (September 15, 2010)