Hyundai got the first-mover advantage with the Kona EV but could not capitalise on it in the past, Kia will soon join the EV race as well
Hyundai and Kia are lining up their electric vehicles for the Indian market. But the price-sensitive Indian market is likely to ignore these new arrivals for better value-for-money products in the market.
Hyundai and its sister company Kia have already expressed their foresight on electric mobility in the recent past. And as a part of the plan, both the brands are set to begin their journey in electric mobility segments with their flagship EV products in India, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Both futuristic-looking electric crossovers, which measure roughly the size of a Hyundai Tucson, will arrive in India in 2022.
Why Hyundai Ioniq5 and Kia EV6 are not suitable for India?
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The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 are currently the flagship electric vehicles for their respective brands. These electric crossovers are the first products based on Hyundai’s electric Global Modular Platform (e-GMP) especially developed for the Korean duo’s fully-electric vehicles.
The products will be niche halo products
The platform is quite expensive and both the cars will not be manufactured in India. Instead, Hyundai and Kia will import CKD kits that they will assemble in India to keep the cost low. These are the most expensive electric cars from Hyundai and Kia with a price tag of around Rs 39 lakh in the international markets. With import tax on CKD vehicles, the price is likely to go up extensively. The Kia EV6 will arrive in India as CBU. It attracts 110% tax on the price.
Both the cars are based on same platform and get different looks
In India, the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq5 and the Kia EV6 are likely to cost around Rs 50 lakh, which will make them out of reach of mass-segment car buyers.
Hyundai already offers the Kona EV in the Indian market. It gets a price tag of around Rs 25 lakh, which is already expensive for many mass-segment buyers. Hyundai sells Kona EV in single digits and a car with a higher price tag is unlikely to bring in the numbers.
When will the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 come to India?
Both these electric crossovers will be positioned as the new flagship products for their respective brands and will serve as halo products which will give a hint of what the electric vehicles from Hyundai and Kia will look like shortly.
Both the Korean brands are following different approaches for the Indian market. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be locally assembled at Hyundai’s manufacturing plant in Chennai through the CKD route and will arrive sometime between October to December 2022. On the other hand, the Kia EV6 will arrive at the Indian shores through the CBU route and see an official unveil in India in May 2022.
Given that it is arriving through the CBU route, the Kia EV6 will be priced higher than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in India. While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might witness its pricing between Rs 45-50 lakh, the Kia EV6 will see its pricing between Rs 50-55 lakh.
India-spec Kia EV6
Both the cars are based on same platform and get different looks
While the Kia EV6 will witness an official unveiling in India in May 2022, its official booking and deliveries will commence in the second half of 2022. For the Indian market, the Kia EV6 will come only in the full-blown GT-Line avatar with dual e-all-wheel-drive and the longer-range 77.4 kWh battery pack option. With one electric motor on each axle, this version of Kia EV6 claims a maximum power output of 320 bhp and a peak torque output of 605 Nm. The claimed driving range from the long-range Kia EV6 77.4 kWh battery in the Kia EV6 is 425 km.
India-spec Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai and Kia will bring all-new Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 to India soon
In the global markets, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is also available in the same configuration as the Kia EV6, as mentioned above. For the locally-assembled model in India, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might come with a lower-spec rear-wheel-drive version with a smaller 58 kWh battery pack.
This variant of the Ioniq 5 claims a power output of 168 bhp and a torque output of 320 Nm from a single 125 kW electric motor mounted on the rear axle. The smaller 58 kWh battery offers a range of 384 km. Hyundai might also consider a more-premium variant with the same dual e-AWD and 77.4 kWh battery pack as the Kia EV6 through the CBU route.
What do you think about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6? Let us know in the comments below.
Keyword: Hyundai And Kia Are Bringing Overpriced Electric Vehicles To India, AGAIN !!!