In an unclear economic environment marked by falling new car sales across Europe, Kia has set new records for both vehicle registrations and market share in 2022. Its progress is driven primarily by the launch of new electric models - part of its strategy to become a leading global sustainable mobility brand.
Kia's total annual sales in the EU, EFTA and UK markets amount to 542,423 units, an increase of 7.9%, compared to 502,677 units in 2021. This is in stark contrast to the wider European passenger car market, where registrations fell by -4.1% in 2022. Kia's figures were boosted by growing demand for its electric vehicles, which accounted for almost a third - 30.9% (176,149) - of its European sales in 2022.
Last year Kia also made several important country-specific achievements. For example, in the UK the brand achieved a record 6.2% market share and surpassed 100,000 sales for the first time. Further impressive record market shares were also secured in Poland (8%) and Spain (7.8%), while in the Netherlands Kia not only became the most popular imported car brand, but the best-selling car brand overall with a market share of 9.7%. In addition, Kia is now in the top three best-selling brands in Spain, Poland, Sweden, Croatia, Finland, Iceland and Slovakia.
Review of the year 2022
Upgraded European production
During 2022, Kia upgraded its production and procurement processes to make them more resilient to global events in order to meet its environmental commitments. For example, it completed an overhaul of its production line in Zilina, Slovakia, introducing more efficient and sustainable production techniques. The most significant change was the introduction of 40 robots for painting and assembly operations. The facility uses 100% renewable energy for its operations, while heat and water from the lighthouse is recycled and reused within the plant.
New focus on renewable energy and the use of second-life batteries
Kia Charge already provides drivers with access to one of the world's largest public charging networks with 448,829 charging points in 28 European countries. Users can access charging points from all providers through a single platform for simple and easy use. In order to strengthen the sustainability credentials of this network, in February Kia created a new partnership with Digital Charging Solutions (DCS), allowing Kia Charge customers to use a zero-emission vehicle and know that the energy they consume during each charging process is fed back into the electricity grid as "green" electricity from European power plants sourced from renewable energy sources.
This focus on a zero environmental footprint led Kia in September to confirm plans to reuse electric vehicle (EV) batteries in its "Second Life" battery energy storage systems. The project is the result of a new partnership with Encore, a Deutsche Bahn start-up that uses EV battery packs to manufacture and distribute second-life battery energy storage systems. The two companies unveiled a prototype battery storage facility at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin, built entirely from reused Kia Soul EV battery packs.
New electrified models
Kia's electrified range continues to drive the brand's sales momentum in Europe. One of the most significant Kia models launched in 2022 was the all-new Niro with the widest range of advanced electrified engines: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric. The new model combines innovative technology and exceptional user comfort to present an easy option for those looking to take their first step towards more sustainable mobility.
The new Sportage Plug-in Hybrid is also a no-compromise electric SUV that combines extended all-electric drive and excellent fuel economy, offering up to 78 kilometres of city driving.
The all-electric, zero-emission EV6 GT succeeds the Stinger as Kia's halo model this year. Based on Kia's Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV6 GT is Kia's most powerful model ever introduced and uses 2 engines with a total output of 585 PS (430 kW), 740 Nm (546 lb ft) of torque and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.5 seconds. The chassis has been carefully tuned to handle the increased power offering a range of 424 km and thanks to 800V charging technology it can be recharged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes.
The new Kia XCeed crossover was launched in 2022 with a striking exterior design, improved interior and a sporty GT-line version for the first time. The previous XCeed was the best-selling model in the Ceed family with 40% sales and a total production volume of over 120,000 units. The new model is available with a choice of high-performance electrified engines, including 48V hybrids and plug-in hybrids. The latter provides a pure electric driving range of up to 60 km.
In 2023 Kia will continue to develop its range of electrified models, in line with its plan to launch 14 all-electric models by 2027, including a new range of small and medium-sized all-electric vehicles from 2025. The company aims to sell 4 million vehicles annually by 2030 of which 1.2 million will be pure electric.
More awards for Kia and its recent electric models
Kia's ground-breaking EV6 all-electric crossover won a series of prestigious international awards in 2022. The year began with a win in the "Car of the Year" for 2022 at the "What Car?" awards, followed by a category win at the "Trophée de L'argus" and a "Best of the Best" award for its innovative and progressive design at the "Red Dot Design" awards. It also secured the "Car of the Year" award in Ireland and Romania, as well as a win in the "Premium" category at the German Car of the Year Awards.
A major accolade came in February when the EV6 won the prestigious Car of the Year 2022 (COTY) Award in Europe, receiving the backing of a 59-member jury of the most respected automotive journalists from 22 European countries. It's an achievement that could potentially be repeated in 2023, as Kia has again reached the final stages of the COTY competition (first time for a Korean brand in consecutive years), with the all-new Niro crossover.
The EV6 wasn't the only model to stand out this year, as the all-new Kia Sportage secured a category win at the World Car of the Year awards from a jury of 56 female automotive journalists from 40 countries and - in a memorable week in December - was awarded both the ABC Car of the Year 2023 in Spain and Car of the Year 2023 in Greece.
Meanwhile, the all-new Kia Niro EV triumphed at Germany's prestigious Golden Steering Wheel awards, a competition widely regarded as the most prestigious car awards in Germany.
One of the latest additions to Kia's trophy cabinet this year is Kia being named "Manufacturer of the Year" in the TopGear.com awards. This is the second consecutive year Kia has won at these awards after winning the "Crossover of the Year" category in 2021 with the newly launched EV6.
Jason Jeong, President of Kia Europe, commented: "The transformation of our brand and the launch of award-winning electrified models into the market has led many people to think of Kia for the first time, fuelling another year of record sales and market share. While we continue to face challenging market conditions, we have laid a very solid foundation for Kia to fulfill its goal of becoming the world's leading sustainable mobility brand."
