That is said to have canceled plans to build a replacement power system for stinger lift up.
Korean car blog reports from unidentified industry sources that the new model – codenamed GT1 and proposed to wear the EV8 nameplate – will not go into production.
It is said to be set to share its eM platform with the Genesis models, just as the now-defunct Stinger shared its platform with Genesis G70.
The new electric vehicle (EV) platform is currently expected to be exclusive to Genesis models like the upcoming GV90, while Hyundai and Kia will instead use a platform called eS.
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ONE Alliance production plans were leaked last year has indicated the GT1 will enter production in Korea in 2026.
It is also expected to replace not only the Stinger but also the front-wheel drive K8 large sedan.
In top-spec guise, the GT1 is said to have been set up to combine 200kW front and 250kW rear electric motors to produce a total system output of 450kW, just shy of the max. EV6 GT Capacity 430kW.
It is also set to use Kia's largest battery, a 113.2 kWh unit, capable of a range of between 700 and 800 km over an unspecified test cycle.
The GT1 is also expected to be offered in a less powerful four-motor all-wheel-drive configuration with two 160kW electric motors for a total of 320kW and a single-motor rear-wheel-drive configuration with 160kW.
For reference, the defunct Stinger made 182kW with the entry-level 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, 224kW with the unoffered 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder here and 274kW with the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6.
Since there is no upcoming GT1/EV8, the EV6 – ostensibly an SUV – will be the replacement for the Stinger.
Indeed, Kia released a promotional video in 2023 celebrating the Stinger effectively passing the performance torch to the EV6.
Stinger stops production in 2023 after sluggish sales in markets such as Korea, Europe and the US.
However, in Australia it sold better, even experiencing a sales spike during its last full year on the market.
THAN: Everything Kia Stinger
