Kia Eyes Two New Pickups as Part of Electric Plan

Kia is playing catch-up in the race to pull the plug on gas-powered vehicles.

The company recently announced that it is planning to build two electric pickup trucks. They are part of a fleet of 14 new electric vehicle models that the Korean carmaker says it will roll out by 2027.

“To achieve the company's vision of becoming a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider, we will focus on accelerating the transition to future business models,” Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song said in a press release announcing the initiative. “We will become even more customer-centric in our approach and pursue a dynamic transformation while maintaining sound business operations.”

Kia’s electric EV6 has already earned “rave reviews” in the U.S., according to CNET. The company also plans to roll out a larger EV9 sport utility vehicle next year.

But pickup trucks have never really been Kia’s forte, at least not yet.

“Kia hopes to boost its annual sales some 27% by 2030 to approximately 4 million units sold globally per year,” CNET’s Andrew Krok reports. “Its electrified vehicles currently comprise 17% of the automaker's global sales, a figure it wants to boost to 52% by 2030  - or 78% in markets with strong environmental regulations, like the US and Europe.”

California Kia Owners: Know Your Lemon Law Rights

While Kia prepares for the cars of tomorrow, it continues to have a hard time ensuring that the vehicles it puts on the road today are actually safe to drive. The company and other major vehicle manufacturers recall millions of cars every year for a wide range of defects that put people’s safety at risk.

The company just this year has called back more than 520,000 vehicles because of a pair of different airbag problems. The second recall followed a 2019 lawsuit over a crash five years earlier in which a Soul’s airbags allegedly did not deploy.

California Kia and other car owners, fortunately, have some important rights and protections under the state’s lemon law.

Officially known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the lemon law requires auto manufacturers to do a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also obligates the companies to buy back vehicles that they cannot or are unwilling to fix. That includes compensating the owner for the purchase price, financing fees and other related expenses like towing and rental cars.

Talk with a Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney

If you are locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over a malfunctioning or defective vehicle, an Los Angeles lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

We have successfully assisted car owners across the state. Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a Los Angeles lemon law attorney today.