Kia sets target to sell 16,000 hybrid Optima vehicles
Kia Motors Corp. has set a goal of selling 16,000 Optima mid-size hybrid sedans in 2012. The plan includes selling 6,000 units overseas and 10,000 units in South Korea. The Optima sedan hybrid model features a combination gasoline and battery engine. In South Korea, the vehicle is being marketed as the K5 hybrid. The hybrid retails for between 29.3 million won (US$27,000) and 32 million won (US$29,000). Kia is South Korea’s number two automaker by sales and is part of the Hyundai Group. (May 13, 2011)