Kia Canada Powers Up Buyer Knowledge with All-New EV Experience Centre in Vancouver

The first-of-its-kind by Kia, the Electric Vehicle Experience Centre educates Canadians on the benefit, opportunities and future of electric vehicles


TORONTO, June 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Building on their strategy to make substantial commitments to progress in the green space, Kia Canada is launching it’s first-ever EV Experience Centre, showcasing the brand’s dedication to building a greener future for Canadians.

Located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, the EV Experience Centre (EVEC) is a place for the public to learn everything they need to know about electric vehicles including the difference between hybrids (HEV), Plug-in-hybrids (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), different types of vehicle chargers, government incentives and the many benefits of driving electric.

“Making the transition to an EV can be daunting. A lot of questions surface for the average consumer. The EV Experience Centre serves an important purpose to answer these questions and educate the public about the benefits of electric vehicles,” says Mark Ahnert, Dealer Principal, Vancouver Downtown Kia.

“The future of the automotive industry is electric, and with Kia Canada introducing 7 all-new plug-in hybrid or dedicated electric models by 2025, the EV Experience Centre will offer the public an EV learning opportunity like no other,” said Elias El-Achhab, Chief Operations Officer, Kia Canada. “We thank Downtown Kia for their investment in the EV Experience Centre, as well as our sponsors RBC, BMO and Kia Finance who supported this initiative to demonstrate their commitment to green initiatives in the community.”

The EV Experience Centre
The EV Experience Centre invites consumers into a user-friendly space designed specifically to answer questions about life with an EV. When visitors enter the EV Experience Centre for their pre-booked 90-minute visit, they will be greeted by one of Kia’s EVisors. The EVisor is an experienced EV educator that will guide visitors through the immersive experience.

While on tour, Visitors can expect to walk through the following experiences with their EVisor; The Kia Innovation Story Wall, an opportunity to learn about the history and future of mobility technology, the Chargehub kiosk where they will get to look at the different charger hardware and how to navigate public charging networks and lastly, the Total Cost of Ownership kiosk, where EVisors will outline all associated costs of owning an EV, potential savings and the available Federal and Provincial EV incentives.

With 18 Kia dealers in BC equipped to sell and service EVs, the EVEC is a great place to learn about electric vehicles in an educational environment before heading to their local dealership. Customers interested in an EV can go to kia.ca to locate one of our EV dealers.

Put Your Knowledge to the Test
At the end of the tour, Visitors are invited to test-drive one of Kia’s 4 green vehicle options. The test drive is an optimized route to showcase the benefits of various EV charging networks, HOV lane access for EVs and preferred parking for EVs.

Book Your Tour at the EV Experience Centre
The EV Experience Centre is located at 1778 W 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 4T3. The hours of operation for pre-booked visits are Monday-Friday (9am-8pm), Saturday (9am-6pm) and Sunday (10am-5pm). To book a visit with an EVisor, please visit evec.kia.ca or call 1-604-336-9050

About Kia Canada
Kia Canada Inc., founded in 1999, is a subsidiary of Kia Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. The company employs 170 people at its headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, as well as in locations across Canada and at its regional office in Montréal, Québec. Kia offers products and services that are innovative, dynamic, thoughtful and award-winning, through a network of 197 dealers across the country. The company's brand slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’ reflects Kia’s commitment to inspiring consumers through its products and services. To learn more, visit kia.ca or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

Please contact Saul Lewis or Susan Bernardo for more information.

Saul Lewis
Strategic Objectives
slewis@strategicobjectives.com
T. 416 366 7735 x0309

Susan Bernardo
National Manager, PR
Kia Canada
sbernardo@kia.ca
T. 905-755-6251

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ac57b8f-7a2d-42df-aa01-c804e3c906fa


Kia EV Experience Centre in Downtown Vancouver