Kia Motors managed to surpass Maruti Suzuki in September, and this advantage is not related to the total volume of car sales, but rather to the sale of a higher number of electric vehicles. The key factor in Kia's success was the launch of the Syros EV model.
In September, Kia sold 1263 electric vehicles, while Maruti Suzuki sold 1103 electric passenger cars. Furthermore, Maruti's portfolio features only one electric car, whereas Kia offers four models.
This shift in market position allowed Kia to climb to fifth place in the ranking, while Maruti Suzuki dropped out of the top 5. The difference in sales between the two companies was only 160 units. Kia's electric vehicle sales grew by 48% compared to August, when 851 vehicles were sold; in September, this figure reached 1263 units. Kia's annual sales growth reached 111%, as 598 vehicles were sold in September of last year.
At the same time, Maruti Suzuki's electric vehicle sales declined. In August, Maruti sold 1472 e-Vitara models, but in September, this figure fell by 25%, reaching 1103 units.
Kia Motors' share in the electric passenger car market reached 3.5%, while Maruti Suzuki's share in this segment is 3.06%. In September, the total number of registered electric passenger cars reached a record high, with all companies collectively selling 35,995 units.
Before the introduction of Syros EV, Kia's portfolio included three electric cars, including imported models EV 6 and EV 9, as well as the Carens Clavis EV, which became the company's first mass-market model. The release of Syros EV provided consumers with an additional option. This model was introduced with a starting price of 13.50 lakh rupees, and its top configuration reaches 20 lakh rupees including export duties.
Syros is Kia's most affordable electric car and is available with two battery options: 42kWh and 51.4kWh. Using the smaller battery, the claimed range is 443 kilometers, and with the larger battery, it is up to 526 kilometers.