When we asked Philpott about the Niro’s future in the UK now that the EV3 has launched, he was keen to clarify its position.
He said: “Niro continues to be very much part of our model range. It is the only model in our line-up that’s offered as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric. It’s got a long-standing presence in the marketplace, and it’s our second best-selling car line behind Sportage – taking all of its powertrains into account.”
We then pushed Philpott on which fleet customers would choose the EV3 versus the Niro EV.
He said: “I think what we’ll see is EV3 goes to a slightly different fleet customer. The EV3 is the new kid on the block, so retail and user-chooser fleets will choose it, and Niro EV will probably continue to be strong in different fleet channels. Niro EV has done well with Uber and ride hailing – because it’s got that standing in that marketplace. It has done well on Motability too, so there’s no reason to stop it.
“We’ve had a pre-launch roadshow for the EV3 going on for the past three-months, around every one of our dealers, and we are certainly attracting a good mix of retail and fleet buyers – far more so than Niro EV has in the past.
“Maybe over time fleets may be more interested in EV3 than Niro EV, but we’ll monitor the take of both cars over the next year or so. Our strength, and how we’ve grown is to look after our customers, so we have returning fleet customers who have had Kia before, but we’re also at the same time conquesting from rival brands, and I think EV3 can compete alongside any other EV in the marketplace.”
We went on to ask Philpott if he expected some of the good feeling towards the already-launched EV6 and EV9 models to rub off on the EV3?
He said: “Absolutely. Our EV line-up will eventually run from EV2, to EV9. We’ve got EV3, new EV6, and EV9 now, with EV4 and EV5 coming in the latter part of next year, and then the EV2, the year after that.
“So, we’ll have six EVs that borrow from each other. I think it’s important that we’ve established EV6 first, because that’s the exciting, sporty, aspirational choice. You’ve then got the range-topping EV9, in a segment we’ve not been in before, and most of the business we’ve been doing with EV9 is conquest from other brands. Then sitting below those two halo EVs, you’ve got the range of EVs coming – the first of those is the EV3.”
