Kia Motors To Invest Extra $54 Mn In Andhra Pradesh Plant Amid Covid-19

South Korean automaker Kia Motors is planning to invest an additional $54 million in its Andhra Pradesh plant, CEO of Kia Motors India Kookhyun Shim said on Thursday.

"Kia was a big success in the Indian car market within 10 months of starting production. We are happy to share with you that we are going to make an additional investment of $54 million in the upcoming project despite the Covid-19 global pandemic, Shim said during an interactive programme in which the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was present.

Shim said Kia Motors and its vendors have hired about 13,000 employees so far and 85 per cent of them are from Andhra Pradesh.

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Kia had earlier said the company has a long-term commitment to the Indian market and invested $1.1 billion in the manufacturing plant at Anantapur.

Kias made-in-India SUV Seltos from the plant was launched in August 2019.

The world-class manufacturing facility in Anantapur, spread across 536 acres, has an annual capacity of three lakh vehicles. It would also be capable of producing hybrid and electric vehicles.