Kia Opens First Solar Powered Green Workshop; Targets 150 More By 2026

South Korean carmaker, Kia, recently inaugurated its first Green Workshop at Rohtak, Haryana. This is a solar panel-powered facility that optimises water and energy usage extensively which helps in meeting more than 80 per cent of the energy requirements while powering an EV AC charging unit. 

Kia is also replicating its plant's water recycling model in this workshop by recycling 100 per cent of the water used during the servicing process. In addition, it will also host a rainwater harvesting process to replenish the groundwater level. The workshop has also enhanced the car washing process with the introduction of Steam Wash technology, which saves 95 per cent of water usage compared to the conventional car wash.

Committing itself to a sustainable future, Kia India is also planning to open 150 more Green Workshop by 2026. As per the company's initial plan, these facilities will cover even the tier 3 and 4 markets alongside metro cities and Tier 1 and 2.

Inaugurating the workshop, Myung-sik Sohn, Chief Sales and Business Strategy Officer at Kia India, said, "With these innovations, we're not just reducing our carbon footprint but also leading the industry and showcasing to our customers how eco-friendliness can merge seamlessly with top-notch driving experiences.”

KIN's Anantapur manufacturing plant is equipped to recycle 100 per cent of the water used during the manufacturing process. In 2020, Kia launched the paperless aftersales service, equipping the aftersales workforce with digital devices to process any query. Early this year, KIN also inaugurated two community initiatives - Develop Responsible Outlook for Plastic (DROP) and Uphaar. DROP aims to address the alarming concern of plastic waste and restrict its spread across landfills and water bodies, while Uphaar, on the other hand, is a tree plantation program initiated to extend support to the marginalised agrarian community and combat climate change.