Kia Sales Union Voices Strong Opposition to EV6 Online Reservations

This file photo provided by Kia shows the front side of the EV6 all-electric model.

SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Kia Corp.’s management and its sales union are in a dispute over online reservations for the EV6 all-electric model scheduled to be rolled out later this month.

The sales union views EV6 pre-orders online as a sign of full-scale online sales.

The carmaker’s management plans to open preliminary online reservations after unveiling the EV6 at the Digital World Premier event on March 30.

Kia’s sales union, however, is strongly opposing the online pre-reservation since it could lead to full-scale online sales, resulting in a decrease in the number of sales jobs.

The sales union said, “We have doubts whether the introduction of an online reservation system for the EV6 would lead to full-scale online sales for the entire lineup of Kia vehicles” adding, “The unilateral introduction of an online reservation system could cause big chaos in the field of sales.”

In response, Kia management said that pre-booking was no more than registering the names and contact information of customers who had the intention to purchase, and there was no plan to expand pre-booking into online sales.

Nonetheless, as domestic and foreign carmakers are expanding their non-face-to-face sales channels in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a sense of unrest is rising among sales staff.

At present, Hyundai Motor and Kia are carrying out online sales only in overseas markets.

J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)