Kia set targets of 170 trillion won in revenue and 17 trillion won in operating profit in 2030. To that end, it will sell 4.13 million vehicles for a 4.5% global market share by 2030, led by 13 hybrid models and 14 electric vehicles.
Kia held the 2026 CEO Investor Day at the Shilla Hotel in Jung District, Seoul, on the 9th and unveiled its mid- to long-term business strategy to investors and analysts. Kia President Song Ho-sung said, "We will grow at the fastest pace along with EVs (electric vehicles), HEVs (hybrid vehicles), Autonomous Driving, and Robotics," adding, "Even as internal and external uncertainties expand, we will proactively respond to market changes with a differentiated strategy."
For this year, Kia presented financial targets of 122.3 trillion won in revenue and 10.2 trillion won in operating profit, up 7.2% and 12.4%, respectively, from a year earlier. The resulting operating margin target is 8.3%, which, if achieved, would improve by 0.3 percentage points from last year.
As mid- to long-term financial goals, it presented 150 trillion won in revenue and a 9% operating margin in 2028. Furthermore, in 2030, it plans to achieve 170 trillion won in revenue and 17 trillion won in operating profit for a 10% operating margin. Kia already surpassed a 10% operating margin in 2023 (11.6%) and 2024 (11.8%).
To reach these goals, outsize growth through the new-car effect and expanding sales of eco-friendly vehicles is essential. Kia aims to sell 3.35 million vehicles this year to secure a 3.8% global market share. For 2030, it pledged 4.13 million vehicles and a 4.5% market share.
◇ Targeting 4.13 million sales in 2030… 1.1 million HEVs, 1 million EVs
Taking into account the pace of electrification by region, Kia decided to continue expanding its internal combustion engine and hybrid lineups. By 2030, it will launch nine new internal combustion models and operate 13 hybrid models, building a diversified powertrain portfolio. Sales targets are 1.98 million internal combustion vehicles and 1.15 million hybrids (xHEVs), including extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs).
Excluding EREVs, hybrid sales will expand from 690,000 this year to 1.1 million in 2030. In addition, it plans to secure production capacity for 400,000 more units in the mid- to long term. A Kia official said, "We plan to strengthen our global flexible production system by using plants in Korea, China, India, and Mexico as key supply bases for emerging markets where demand for internal combustion engines and hybrids is expanding."
It will also strengthen its EV strategy. Kia will pursue sales of 1 million EVs in 2030 with a 3.8% market share. To that end, it will expand its EV lineup from 11 models this year to 14 models by 2030, including two passenger cars, nine sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and three purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). Volume EVs including the EV2 and the Cyros EV will launch this year.
For PBVs, Kia launched the PV5 last year and sold about 8,500 units through last year. This year, with a full-fledged global rollout, it aims to sell 54,000 units annually. Kia plans to build a full PBV lineup by launching the PV7 in 2027 and the PV9 in 2029, and to offer customized mobility solutions through more than 40 body types.
◇ 1.02 million in the U.S. in 2030, 6.2% share… EVs to be 66% in Europe
To achieve the global sales target of 4.13 million vehicles in 2030, Kia set differentiated strategies for the United States, Europe, and emerging markets.
In the United States, it set a goal of 1.02 million units and a 6.2% market share in 2030. To achieve this, Kia will expand its HEV lineup from four to eight models and nurture volume models based on a full SUV lineup. It will also enter the pickup market.
In Europe, it presented a target of 746,000 units and a 4.8% market share in 2030. EV demand in Europe is expected to expand to a 43% share in 2030, and Kia plans to have EVs account for 66% of its sales there, 23 percentage points higher.
In emerging markets, it set a 2030 target of 1.48 million units, up about 500,000 from last year's 1 million. That equates to a 6.6% market share.
In India in particular, it will expand its lineup to 10 models to achieve 410,000 units and a 7.6% share in 2030. It will operate eight eco-friendly models, including the Cyros EV, the Sorento HEV, and the Carnival HEV, and expand its dealer network to 800. To attack the small SUV segment, the largest volume class in emerging markets, it will sell more than 200,000 units each of the Seltos and Sonet in 2030.