Kia has started production of fully electric vehicles for the first time in Europe, beginning with the EV4 hatchback.

The five-door Kia EV4 is the brand’s first fully electric vehicle to be manufactured in Europe

Already on sale in the UK alongside the EV4 Fastback saloon, the Citroën ë-C4 and Volkswagen ID.3 rival is designed specifically for Europe and is assembled exclusively at Kia AutoLand Slovakia.

The start of production follows extensive updates to Kia’s sole European manufacturing facility in Slovakia and marks a major step forward in Kia’s electrification strategy for the region.

“The start of EV4 production is a huge milestone for us. It demonstrates the technical capability and flexibility of our European operations,” said Marc Hedrich, president and CEO of Kia Europe. “From 20 August, Slovakia will build fully electric cars alongside models with hybrid and internal combustion powertrains. Through the expansion of our production capabilities, we are supporting our diverse European customer base even more.”

Built on Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV4 is designed to deliver performance and efficiency in equal measure.

It’s available with two battery options: a 58.3kWh battery and a larger 81.4kWh variant, offering a range of up to 391 miles on a single charge. It also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities and comes with an aluminium bonnet to reduce weight and enhance handling, as well as the choice of five standout exterior paint finishes.

The EV4’s design combines bold, sharp lines with Kia’s award-winning ‘Opposites United’ philosophy. It was first unveiled globally in February 2025 and is tailored to meet the needs of customers seeking innovation, performance, and electric mobility.

Kia’s manufacturing facility in Žilina, Slovakia, is a cornerstone of the company’s European operations. First opened in 2004, the two-square-kilometre plant has been given a €108m (£93.6m) makeover to modernise it with new technologies, including an EV battery conveyor at the chassis line in the assembly shop.

The Žilina plant produces other models such as the Kia XCeed and Kia Sportage. This includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, which have accounted for 25% of the facility’s total annual output as of 2024.

Kia has integrated sustainability measures into the plant’s operations. Since 2014, Kia Slovakia has reduced electricity consumption per vehicle by 11%, water usage by 28%, and CO2 emissions by 13%. The factory currently runs entirely on renewable electricity and plans to meet approximately 1.5% of its total energy needs with a new photovoltaic power plant by the end of this year.

While the five-door EV4 will be manufactured at Kia’s European plant in Slovakia, its saloon-bodied sibling, the EV4 Fastback, will be manufactured in Kia’s homeland of Korea at the brand’s Autoland Gwangmyeong EVO plant.