Record sales of electric vehicles at the start of 2021 have helped Kia Motors (UK) Limited post one of its best-ever January results. Despite a challenging month since the beginning of 2021, Kia sold 6,271 cars in the UK throughout the period.
In January one in every six Kia vehicles sold was fully electric. Kia sold 985 e-Niro models and 64 units of the Soul EV in the first month of the year, accounting in total for 16.7 per cent of all Kia sales in the UK last month. The e-Niro was the best-selling EV in the UK in January. The wider Niro family – including e-Niro, Self-Charging Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid variants – also represented a bright spot for the brand, with 1,741 total sales placing it in the top 10 best-sellers for the month.
January also saw particularly high interest in the Sportage, as sales of the company’s UK best-seller grew by 21.5 per cent (to 2,986 units) compared to January 2020 – making it the second best-selling model in the UK last month. The new Picanto also proved a notable success (723 units), following its introduction to the UK at the end of 2020.
The brand’s January sales have been supported by several new initiatives from Kia’s UK dealer network to help customers complete their purchase remotely. Most dealers across the UK now offer an online ‘click and collect’ service, as well as a range of online communications tools, including ‘Live Chat’, to help customers complete their purchase remotely.
Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia Motors (UK) Limited, commented: “Starting the year off in this position is positive for us, and it places us well in the market. Most importantly it means our dealer network has been able to deliver our customers’ vehicles safely. We’re realistic about the challenges we still face in the immediate future, but it’s equally encouraging to see how our electrified vehicle range is proving ever-more popular.”
Earlier in January, Kia Corporation announced plans to launch seven new dedicated EVs between now and 2027, under the brand’s ‘Plan S’ mid- to long-term business strategy. The first of these EVs will be unveiled during Q1 2021 and will play an important role in Kia UK’s EV line up.
