Kia to Launch Electric CUV by Next Year

A week after Hyundai announced its first electric car, sister company Kia Motors will continue the Korean automaker’s EV plans with a battery-powered crossover set to debut next year.

“We plan to produce 2,000 electric vehicles based on Kia’s upcoming cross utility vehicles (CUVs), and 500 BlueOns by 2012,” said Hong John-hee, the head of Hyundai’s electric vehicles division. Surprisingly, the electric car won’t be based on one of Kia’s existing CUVs, but rather on a new model. Kia’s plan is to launch a gasoline version of the crossover in September (likely at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show), followed by the electric version in December.

Initial plans for Hyundai and Kia’s electric vehicles are to sell them to government agencies in 2012, with sales to the general public beginning in 2013. The electric Kia will be able to travel up to 80 miles on a single charge.

Last week, Hyundai unveiled the BlueOn electric car based on the company’s i10 hatchback, with a total range of 87 miles.

[Source: Kia]

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