-Kia’s highest-ever European market share of 3.7 per cent growth in first quarter
- Electric car sales grow by 20.8 per cent despite decline in new car market
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the global car sales. However, Kia Motors has witnessed a record European sales for new hybrid and electric vehicles in the first quarter of 2020. Interestingly, Kia Motors has also recorded its highest-ever share of the European market with 3.7 per cent growth in the first quarter.
Sales of electrified Kia cars have grown by 20.8 per cent despite decline in new car market and the electrified models now account for almost a fifth of Kia sales in Europe. As per the data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Kia's total European sales have dropped by 14.5 per cent with 1,13,026 units sold in the first quarter of 2020 as against 132,174 units sold in the same period last year. However, this decline was smaller than that seen by the wider European automotive sector (-26.3 per cent total new car sales across the EU, EFTA and UK). As a result, Kia’s market share has grown from 3.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 to an all-time-high of 3.7 per cent in the first three months of 2020.
In the first quarter of 2020, Kia’s battery electric vehicles, the e-Niro and e-Soul, accounted for 32 per cent of all electrified vehicle sales, up from 22 per cent in 2019. Plug-in hybrid models, including new plug-in hybrid variants of the XCeed and Ceed Sportswagon, also grew in popularity, and now account for 30 per cent of all electrified Kia sales.
Speaking on the occasion, Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, commented, “The first three months of 2020 have been challenging for the whole industry due to social distancing and lockdown measures adopted across many European markets. However, we have seen growing sales for Kia’s range of hybrid and electric cars – every electrified model line we sell in Europe has seen sales growth this quarter. The arrival of new plug-in hybrid models, improved availability of EVs, and an expanded Ceed model family has also boosted our sales and market share this quarter.”
Kia’s best-selling model line also recorded sales growth during the first quarter of the year. Sales of the Ceed model family – comprising Ceed, Ceed Sportswagon, ProCeed, and XCeed – rose by 18.8 per cent during the first quarter, to 29,664 units. With all individual models within the family remaining popular across Europe, additional sales growth has been supported by the arrival of the all-new XCeed in the second half of 2019 and new plug-in hybrid variants at the start of 2020. After the Ceed model family, the Sportage (23,011 units), Niro (16,010), Stonic (15,115) and Picanto (13,639) completed the list of Kia’s five top-selling models in Europe.
