Kia Brings EV Production to Europe

Kia has begun building its fully electric EV4 in Slovakia, billing the move as a landmark for the European market. The company proudly declared that Žilina is now the birthplace of its first Europe-made EV. In reality, this is less a surprise than an inevitability: with EU emissions regulations tightening and supply-chain pressure mounting, every carmaker is being forced to localize at least part of its production. The EV4, a five-door model tailored to European tastes, rides on Hyundai Group’s familiar E-GMP platform—the same architecture underpinning much of the group’s EV lineup.

The company highlights a €108 million investment in modernizing production lines and adding a new battery logistics system. Impressive on paper, though by automotive standards this is more a cosmetic adjustment than a wholesale reinvention. Until now, the Žilina plant has focused largely on the Sportage and XCeed, and it will continue turning out hybrids and combustion models alongside the EV4.

As for the car itself, there is little revolutionary to note. Buyers can choose between two batteries (58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh), and the car supports both V2L and V2G functions. An aluminum hood and eight paint colors round out the spec sheet—features already familiar across the market.

Kia leans heavily on sustainability messaging, pointing to energy and water savings and a factory powered entirely by renewables. What the press material does not emphasize is how much of the broader production process and supply chain still relies on fossil fuels.