CityLightBuzz: Seoul, South Korea: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics Nara Lokesh met Mr. Tae Hun Lee, Executive Vice President (Global Operations) of Kia Motors, along with the company’s senior leadership team in Seoul.
During the meeting, Minister Lokesh invited Kia Motors to further expand its operations in Andhra Pradesh by establishing an integrated Electric Vehicle (EV) and Hybrid Vehicle Manufacturing Hub, including the production of Purpose-Built Vehicles (PBVs) specially designed by Kia. He also requested the company to:
- Establish a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) Assembly and Export Centre near Visakhapatnam Port to serve global markets.
- Set up an EV components manufacturing facility for E-GMP platform components, battery systems, and EV charging electronics.
- Develop an EV Powertrain Testing Centre for powertrain integration, vehicle testing, and homologation.
Responding to the proposals, Mr. Tae Hun Lee, Executive Vice President (Global Operations), Kia Motors, said the company established its manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, in 2017, and commenced large-scale production in 2019. He noted that Kia Motors manufactures passenger, commercial, and recreational vehicles while also advancing its “Plan S” strategy, Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) initiative, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and autonomous mobility technologies. He added that Kia Motors is the second-largest automobile manufacturer in South Korea, after its parent company Hyundai Motor Company.
Mr. Lee stated that the company would discuss the Andhra Pradesh government’s latest proposals with its senior management before taking a decision. The meeting was also attended by:
- Mr. Eui Chul Jeong, Senior Vice President (Strategic Planning)
- Mr. Sang Un Cho, Senior Vice President (Global Operations)
- Mr. Hee Sam Kim, Vice President (Strategic Operations)
- Mr. Tae Kun Yang, Vice President (Global Operations)
- Mr. Jungho An, Senior Legal Advisor, Kia India
- Somasekhar Reddy, Principal Advisor.
