E-Paper
Kia is very firm on introducing hybrid cars in India, Senior VP Atul Sood says
The challenge is affordability, so Kia India evaluating localisation of key hybrid components, Senior VP (Sales & Marketing) Atul Sood says.
Grab Offer Now 
Notify me 
Grab Offer Now 
Grab Offer Now 
Grab Offer Now 
Grab Offer Now A hybrid variant of the Kia Seltos “is very much on the cards”, according to a top Kia India executive, even as affordability remains a challenge.
Notify me “We are very firm (on our hybrid plans). We expect clear timelines in a couple of months,” Atul Sood, senior vice president of sales & marketing at Kia India Pvt. Ltd., said on the sidelines of the launch of the second-generation Kia Seltos in New Delhi on Wednesday. “The challenge is affordability, so we’re evaluating localisation of key hybrid components.”
Check similar cars
Find more cars
Mahindra XEV 9S
₹ 19.95 - 29.45 Lakhs
Offers Expiring soon
Maruti Suzuki e Vitara
₹ 17 - 26 Lakhs
Offers Expiring soon
Tata Harrier EV
₹ 21.49 - 30.23 Lakhs
Offers Expiring soon
Mahindra Scorpio N
₹ 13.2 - 24.17 Lakhs
Offers Expiring soon
Maruti Suzuki Victoris
₹ 10.5 - 19.99 Lakhs
Offers Expiring soon
Does that include the localisation of cell manufacturing as well? “We will take a call in the next few months, possibly post-budget. But the intent is clear: hybrid technology will come,” he said.
“India accounts for a third of the Seltos’ global sales,” Sood said. “The Indian customer is central to our product development.”
2025 Kia Seltos — Bigger, Better
On Wednesday, Kia India unveiled the second-gen Kia Seltos—a mid-size SUV that introduced the South Korean brand to Indians in 2019. A runaway success, the Seltos has been, of late, losing market share in the ₹15-20 lakh Compact SUV segment dominated by the Hyundai Creta. It also has to contend with newer rivals like the Tata Sierra.
With pricing scheduled to be announced in early January, Sood hopes the Kia Seltos will once again set the benchmark, particularly in terms of technology. “For us, experience is key—design, technology, safety and connected features. The new Seltos builds on these with enhanced safety and improved tech.”
Is a Kia Seltos EV in the works?
While there’s plenty of speculation, especially since the Creta EV by Kia's South Korean sister firm exists, Sood claimed otherwise.
“Seltos EV isn’t the plan currently. Hybrid, yes,” he said.
Kia India does have a mass-market electric vehicle on sale—the Carens Clavis EV—but the company is eyeing the affordable segment for its EV play.
“The volumes will come from the lower priced segments, which constitute more than 70-80% of EV sales (in India),” Sood said. “So yes, that space is important.”
Kia India sold 464 electric cars in November 2025, as against just 74 in the year-ago period, according to VAHAN data. That compares with 6,153 units sold by market leader Tata Motors Ltd., which retails electric cars of all shapes and sizes—from the Tiago.ev hatchback to Harrier.ev full-size SUV.
Apart from the Carens Clavis EV, Kia India sells two more electric cars in India—the EV6 and the EV9—but they are targeted at the premium end of electric mobility in India.
Kia sales in India
The bulk of Kia India's volumes comes from its mass-market ICE SUVs — the Seltos, Sonet and Carens—but the South Korean brand is increasingly eyeing a premium-to-luxury play.
“Growth will come from a combination of all. The Sonet, the new Seltos, Carens—they all will contribute,” Sood said. “We are also finalising some new projects for next year. We expect over 10% growth this year, versus industry growth of under 5%.”
In 2025 so far, Kia India has sold 2,45,088 units as against 2,38,246 units in all of 2024, according to VAHAN data, with three more weeks left in the year. The figures do not include exports. The company enjoys 6% share of the world's third largest car market.
In 2026, Kia India is likely to launch more budget offerings, the Syros EV for instance, while “premiumisation” will come from technology offered across segments, Sood said.
“Customers today are increasingly tech-driven. Our intent is clear: deliver the right customer experience. That means strong product design and technology—connected technology, ADAS and more.”
Kia India Expansion Plans
Going forward, Sood aims to strengthen the brand’s network in semi-urban and rural markets—a sales driver for its sister company Hyundai Motor India Ltd. Without putting a number on it, Sood confirmed that geographical expansion was a priority for him.
“Even in the current calendar year, we expanded our network significantly in Tier-4 and upper-tier markets. Our definition of Tier-4 is markets with 4,000–10,000 TIV (total industry volume). Under 4,000 is Tier-5,” he said.
“This year, 54% of our dealer outlets are in Tier-4 markets, compared to 50% last year. Sales contribution from these Tier-4 markets has also grown—from 25% last year to about 30% this year.”
The CAFE-III Debate
Kia india is among the few Indian automakers which have a roadmap for both hybrid and electric powertrains in their line-up. Its views on the upcoming CAFE-III norms—particularly with regards to weight-based concessions—play an important role in the discourse around truly feasible sustainable mobility.
The proposed CAFE-III norms, mandating stricter targets, incentivise cleaner technology, while also offering weight-based concessions for smaller cars—something EV/Hybrid makers feel is detrimental to net-zero emission goals.
Sood was evasive about the brand’s stance in the matter.
“We are working closely with SIAM to represent the industry in discussions with the government,” he said. “Since these deliberations are internal and confidential, I can't comment. But we understand the government’s proposals and are aligned on reducing emissions.”
When asked if Kia India was batting for greater incentives in the EV space, Sood said, “Yes, discussions are ongoing for a roadmap that works for both manufacturers and the government. It’s a healthy dialogue.”
