Kia Motors signs MoU with Andhra for future eco mobility

The partnership reinforces Kia’s commitment to support the Andhra Pradesh government in growing the uptake of electric vehicles (EV) and the development of a local EV infrastructure, the company said in a statement. The memorandum was signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and MD-CEO of Kia Motors India Kookhyun Shim.

As part of the agreement, Kia Motors has provided the government with three examples of its global bestselling eco car - Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid and Niro EV. Kia is also installing a vehicle charging station at Vijayawada, for representatives from the regional government to charge their new environmentally-friendly fleet. The partnership signifies Kia’s long-term commitment to build eco-friendly vehicles at its new Anantapur plant in AP, an important step for the future of clean mobility in the rapidly expanding Indian market, the statement said.

As the state is developing 14 smart cities, Kia Motors is working with it to design a new generation of transportation systems that best serve the citizens in each of these cities.

Construction of Kia Motors’ first manufacturing facility in India is underway in Anantapur district. It is expected to begin production in the second-half of 2019 and produce 3 lakh units per year.