Kia Declares That All Of Its Sports Vehicles Will Be Electrified In The Future.

High-performance vehicles with internal combustion engines are declining globally. Kia has announced that its future sports cars will be fully electric to meet stricter regulations.

Roland Rivero, head of product at Kia Australia, told Carsales that carmakers have no choice but to “embrace the global situation, with CO2 regulations tightening around the world.”

If there’s one bright spot in all of this, it’s that we’ll soon see Kia’s sporty GT badge on even more vehicles, albeit all-electric ones. The new EV4, for example, is a prime candidate for the next GT treatment.

Rivero remains optimistic about the ability to satisfy enthusiasts even in an increasingly electrified era: “There’s no reason why an electrified product can’t offer you a similar experience to high-performance cars with internal combustion engines, albeit with some computer technology and so on.”

The Stinger GT stands out with its V6 engine and has no equal. The GT logo is also featured on electric models like the EV9 GT. Kia’s EV6 GT, their first electric performance car, just received an update with simulated gear shifts and engine sounds, reflecting River’s comment about “computer technology.”

Hyundai’s N division hasn’t entirely given up on internal combustion engines. Although models like the i20 N, i30 N, Kona N, and Veloster N are discontinued, the Elantra N remains available in the US. The company has plans for a new generation with a larger engine. Joonwoo Park, co-founder of the N division, indicated in an interview that hybrid powertrains could help keep N-badged fun cars with combustion engines alive.

The problem is that any high-performance hybrid or electric vehicle is incredibly heavy, which in turn doesn’t necessarily help performance. But it’s a trade-off that automakers seem willing to make.

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