Kia Seltos EV Launch Confirmed, China To Get It First

After selling more than 3 lakh units of the Seltos globally, Kia is now all set to launch the electrified version of the Seltos. It has been confirmed that China will be the first market to get the Seltos EV, with the official introduction likely to be slated for the third-quarter of this year. The Kia Seltos EV will be manufactured at DYK Motors' production facility in Jiangsu province. It is not the first time that Kia will launch a region-specific EV in China as the carmaker had earlier launched the K3 Electric EV in the country.

Kia Seltos X-Line Concept was recently showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo and could be introduced as the range-topping variant in India.

The specifications of the Seltos EV are not yet revealed but it is expected to get the same powertrain as the Kona EV. The Hyundai Kona is sold in China as Encino EV, which further hints towards the use of the same powertrain in the electric version of the Seltos. In China, the Kona comes equipped with a 64 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which powers a 204 hp/310 Nm electric motor. With this setup, it offers an NEDC claimed range of 500 km on one full charge. The Indian version of the Kona EV, on the other hand, is offered with a 39.2 kWh battery, which comes mated to rather small 136 hp electric motor and offers an ARAI certified range of 452 Km.

The ICE-powered Kia Seltos was launched in China in late 2019. It is evident, the situation with the EV will be different. The Indian market will experience the introduction of Seltos EV only after its launch in China. The Chinese market is ready to adopt the EVs and the demand for electric SUV is already high there. On the other hand, EVs contribute to a sale of less than 8 per cent of total passenger car sales in India. It is highly unlikely that Kia will launch the Seltos EV in the country soon after the China debut.