Kia Motors India’s Plant To Start Operations Soon — Kia SP2 SUV To Be The First Model

Kia Motors India will soon starts trial operations of their manufacturing plant in Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh. This essentially means that the South Korean brand under Hyundai, will be rolling out their first product in India in the not-too-distant future.

Autocar India shares that Kia will mark their entry in the competitive automotive market of India with the SP2 SUV; the production version of the Kia SP Concept which was showcased back at Auto Expo 2018. Kia Motors India will be hosting a grand inaugural ceremony for their large production facility. N Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and H E Shin Bongkil, the Ambassador of The Republic of Korea to India, will be present at the event along with important Kia officials.

Kia Motors' new and first plant in India has a capacity of producing close to 3,00,000 units per annum. The trial run of the plant is aimed to iron-out any flaws or inefficiencies in the manufacturing process before the first model enters mass-production by mid-2019. We have already visited the plant and were thoroughly impressed by the 540-acre setup - read more about Kia Motors first plant in India.

The brand has also shared that 90 per cent of vehicles produced in the first stage will be sold domestically, and only 10% will go to foreign markets. To achieve this production goal, Kia Motors India will employ 3000 people at their facility in Ananthapur. The company intends to make 1,00,000 units in the first year and gradually boost the output to 2,00,000 and 3,00,000 units in the second and third years, respectively.

The plant mainly consists of a press shop, engine & transmission department, body shop, paint booth and the final assembly line. An exclusive training centre, test track and a township are also in the works.

As per reports, Kia Motors has invested over a billion US dollars in India to accelerate their initial operations. The training centre mentioned before was set up in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC). A five-day Basic Technical Course (BTC) has already commenced at the centre.

At present, the production plant operated by Kia Motors India deals only with IC-engined cars (runs with either petrol or diesel). The brand has no intention to introduce an electric or hybrid product on the Indian market any time soon.

Thoughts On Kia Motors' New Plant In India

Kia Motors has already laid out an aggressive product strategy for the Indian market and aims to be one among the top in various competitive segments such as Premium Hatchback, Compact-SUV, Five-Seater SUV and even MPV category. With the new plant coming into operation soon, Kia products will start hitting our roads within a short span of time.