In April 2021 Kia Motors signed a partnership agreement with Bermaz Auto Berhad and since then the brand presence has been renewed. Why? Well, the previous partner in Malaysia had started to see less interest in the running of the vehicle sales and distribution and so it was rime to move along.
The first electric vehicle to come from Kia to Malaysia has been this all new crossover, the EV6 and to date, sales have been very encouraging and the Kia EV6 already has 200 plus bookings and counting.
Good news also for Bermaz Auto shareholders as the company has seen a rise of 7.4 percent in its stock value and its current share price of RM1.89 which offers investors a dividend yield of 4.61 percent.
Meanwhile, the EV6 is Kia’s first car to be based on the company’s dedicated new architecture for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). It was launched by the newly set-up Malaysian company, Dinamikjaya Motors Sdn Bhd for RM300,668 (OTR without insurance).
To date just 6 units of the Kia EV6 have been delivered to waiting Malaysian buyers and due to surging global demand, deliveries to Malaysia from the factory are still rather slow.
For Malaysian buyers, this Kia EV6 comes with a five-year/150,000-km manufacturer warranty, while the battery has a warranty coverage of up to seven years or 150,000 km.
This first dedicated BEV launched under the new Kia design philosophy ‘Opposites United’, displays a future-oriented EV design characterised by high-tech details.
It is powered exclusively by battery electric energy, with a choice of two long-range, zero-emissions powertrains. 800V charging capability means the EV6 can go from 10-to-80 percent battery charge in just 18 minutes.
Interestingly, the EV6 also kicks off the brand’s mid-to-long term strategy for BEVs, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and hybrid electric (HEV) vehicles to make up 40 percent of Kia’s total sales by 2030, with an annual sales target of 1.6 million units for these eco-friendly models.
Kia aims to grow its global BEV sales to 880,000 units in 2030 and become a top global seller. This EV6 is the first of 11 new global BEV models from Kia by 2026 of which seven will be built on E-GMP architecture and four will be derivative EVs based on existing models.
Just last month, the Kia EV6 received the 2022 Winter Vehicle Award for Best Electric Vehicle from the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA).
The EV6 was recognized for its all-around engineering excellence and durability in the harshest climatic conditions by the journalist guild representing internet, radio, television, newspapers, and magazines from the New England region.
