KIA'S STEVE KOSOWSKI ON THE CHARGING ALLIANCE, EV6 GT, EV9 SUV, AND FUTURE OUTLOOK OF THE EV MARKET

EV Channels Review

This episode of The Inevitable features Steve Kosowski, Kia's National Manager for Long Range Strategy and Planning, discussing the brand's EV future. A significant portion of the conversation centers on the new charging alliance, a joint venture with other OEMs to deploy 30,000 ultra-high-speed DC chargers (350kW minimum) by 2030, addressing a critical gap in public charging infrastructure. Kosowski acknowledges Tesla's early success in integrating charging and explains the industry's delayed response due to high costs and a focus on home charging. The discussion delves into Kia's EV6 and the performance-oriented EV6 GT, highlighting the EGMP platform's development since 2015-2016 and its role in enabling consistent performance, referencing vehicles like the Jaguar I-PACE and Tesla Model 3 Performance as benchmarks. The EV9 SUV's development is also touched upon, emphasizing Kia's distinct design language within the Hyundai Motor Group. The conversation explores battery technology, favoring pouch cells for their packaging advantages and discussing the potential of LFP batteries for cost reduction and solid-state batteries for future density and safety improvements. A key takeaway is the industry's recognition of charging infrastructure as a crucial factor for broader EV adoption, particularly for attracting a wider demographic beyond early adopters.