Not all automakers are big fans of electrification. Kia is joining the ranks of companies like Toyota that are looking to hydrogen fuel-cell technology as a way we all get around in the future.
During a recent interview with Auto Express, chief engineer Albert Biermann emphasized that Kia will keep supporting the Soul EV, even though it won’t be working on a future “Tesla fighter” model. Instead, look for a fuel cell Kia production car in about two years, which could use the second-gen Hyundai fuel-cell powertrain tech.
This might make electric car fans laugh or shake their heads sadly. The current trends in the market point toward electricity as the future fuel of choice for vehicles. It’s important to note that Toyota isn’t exactly jumping on the EV bandwagon, throwing its support behind hydrogen fuel cells, and that’s a big deal.
Kia does sell some hybrid cars. There’s a hybrid version of the Optima, and the Niro hybrid is set to launch late in 2016. Eventually, Kia plans to develop a new EV, but it wants to focus on a fuel-cell model first as a way of covering bases. So Kia isn’t exactly abandoning electrification, it’s just really pushing forward on hydrogen more for right now.
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