Kia has initiated production of its EV4 compact electric hatchback at its Žilina plant in Slovakia by the end of August 2025, marking the first time this model will be manufactured outside South Korea.
Built on the front-wheel-drive version of Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, the EV4 will roll off the same assembly lines that produce combustion models such as the Ceed and Sportage. The longer fastback (sedan) version, approximately 30 cm longer, will continue to be produced in South Korea.
With the European production now underway, customer deliveries are expected to begin in September 2025. The EV4 hatchback will carry a starting price tag of around €37,590, nearly €10,000 less than the fastback variant.
Kia has set an ambitious global sales target of 160,000 units annually for the EV4, with roughly half of those projected for European markets. The model follows the EV3, which sold 37,000 units in Europe in the first half of 2025 and helped lift the brand’s EV sales by 60% year-on-year.
Strategically, producing the EV4 within Europe will enable Kia to better leverage regional subsidy schemes that consider both the vehicle’s battery origin and country of assembly a key advantage over South Korea–built models.
The move underscores Kia’s commitment to expanding its electric vehicle presence in the region, offering competitive pricing, local production benefits, and solidifying its position against rivals like Volkswagen’s ID.3 and Renault’s Megane E-Tech Electric
