The investment plan, unveiled at an investment blitz at the Shilla Hotel in central Seoul, is part of Kia's mid- to long-term strategy to transform into a sustainable mobility solutions company. It marks Kia's biggest investment to date, up 7 trillion won from the 42 trillion won in its previous five-year plan for 2025–2029.
Kia plans to launch its first software-defined vehicle with "Level 2+" highway self-driving by the end of next year, followed by "Level 2++" technology in early 2029, allowing autonomous driving on highways and in cities.
Kia also said it will integrate its purpose-built vehicles, the PV7 and PV9, with Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot Spot and logistics robot Stretch to tap into what it describes as a new last-mile delivery market, valued at an estimated US$288 billion (426 trillion won) annually.
The American engineering and robotics company's humanoid robot Atlas will be deployed in the second half of 2029 at Kia's plant in Georgia with a gradual expansion to its factories worldwide.
Kia said it has set its sales target of 3.35 million vehicles for this year, with a goal of achieving a 3.8 percent share of the global market, and aims to sell 4.13 million vehicles by 2030, raising its market share to 4.5 percent.
It will also launch nine new internal-combustion models and maintain 13 hybrid models by 2030, building a diversified powertrain lineup, with plans to expand hybrid production capacity by 400,000 units to meet growing demand.
"Building on the innovations we have achieved across all areas over the past five years, we will grow at the fastest pace in EVs, hybrids, autonomous driving, and robotics," said CEO Song Ho-sung.
Kia set midterm targets of 150 trillion won in revenue with a 9-percent operating profit margin for 2028. By 2030, it aims for 170 trillion won in revenue and a 10-percent operating margin.
Kia said it aims to give shareholders at least a 35-percent return over the three years through 2028 and will continue increasing returns in the form of dividends and stock repurchases.
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