Kia Motors Limited continues to lead sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the UK this year, with the e-Niro maintaining its position as the country’s best-selling BEV for the second consecutive month.

Across its full model line-up, the company sold a total of 2,873 units in the UK in February, representing a 5.6 per cent market share. Despite challenging market conditions, growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles contributed to the brand’s sales performance. Electrified models* accounted for 45.7 percent of Kia’s sales in February, and more than a third (35.5 per cent) of the brand’s total year-to-date sales.

The Niro model family was the brand’s best-seller in February. With 1,215 units sold across all three variants (including e-Niro, Self-Charging Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid variants), the Niro family was the sixth best-selling model in the UK in February, with the fully electric e-Niro accounting for 757 of these sales. Combined with sales of the Soul EV (41 units in February, 105 units year-to-date), Kia BEVs account for almost one in five (19 per cent) of all fully electric vehicles sold in the UK so far this year.

February also saw strong sales of the Sportage (765 units), and the new Picanto, updated at the end of 2020, was also the number-one seller in its class, accounting for 21.1 per cent of all A-segment sales (381 units).

With showrooms still closed, Kia’s dealer network enters March with a proven range of initiatives in place to help customers complete their purchase remotely. Most dealers across the UK now offer an online ‘click and collect’ service, as well as a range of online communications tools, including ‘Online Chat’, to help customers complete purchases safely.

Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia Motors (UK) Limited, commented: “The market still faces major challenges, even with a growing sense of optimism across the country. That said, our dealer network continues to work hard to deliver customer vehicles safely. Meanwhile, our long-term product strategy and focus on electrification means we are able to offer a wide range of vehicles and advanced powertrains in line with the evolving expectations of our customers.”

At the start of 2021, Kia Corporation announced plans to launch seven new dedicated EVs between now and 2027, under the brand’s ‘Plan S’ mid- to long-term business strategy. The first of these EVs will be unveiled at the end of Q1 2021 and will play an important role in Kia UK’s future EV line up.