News

Kia would have a 1.0 flex fuel hybrid powertrain in Brazil

Completing 30 years in the country and 450 thousand vehicles sold, the brand prepares to launch 100% electric models

By Décio Costa | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Despite saying he has little information on the project, José Luiz Gandini, Kia Brasil’s president, announced that the brand’s headquarters would launch a 1.0 flex fuel hybrid powertrain – a product fit for the Brazilian market.

“I only know it is scheduled for 2025. It will be larger than the Rio and smaller than the Cerato, with two or four doors. He said it would have a gasoline powertrain for the global market and flex-fuel for Brazil”. “The initiative originated from Kia. In October, I will meet in Seoul and have more information about it.”

While the new product tailored for Brazil is still in the oven, Gandini celebrates 30 years as the official representative of the brand with electric novelties. He confirmed that the Niro EV and the EV9, a large SUV, already embarked to Brazil from Korea. “They should be homologated, and sales begin at the end of the year or the beginning of 2024.”

Kia’s entrance into the full-electric cars market in Brazil continues a well-succeeded trajectory marked by resilience, as the Brazilian branch president prefers to express the “capacity to react to and overcome contrarieties”.

The history begins in 1992 with the nomination of the Gandini Group as Kia’s official importer in Brazil, conditioned to a one thousand units first order. Despite the group having no structure and a dealer net for the new business, it accepted the proposal.

Operations began the following year with the Besta van and cargo van, the pickup Ceres and the K3500 light truck. In a short time, the van was the bestseller utility vehicle in the market. Since then, with uninterrupted imports, Kia Brasil sold 450 thousand vehicles.

“It is a long, successful history, but it was not easy. Over the years, we faced a quota system restricting our sales, the frequent import tax dance and the dollar rate volatility”, he said.

To celebrate 30 years in Brazil, the company will compensate carbon emissions up to 160 thousand kilometers of use for all purchasers of the Niro HEV until the end of the year.

Photo: Kia Brasil