The Kia Picanto could soon disappear from the British market, but the reason is not weak sales or outdated technology.
Instead, one of Kia’s longest-running and most popular city cars is under pressure from stricter emissions rules and the U.K.’s rapid move toward electrification.
The key issue is the ZEV mandate, which forces automakers to sell a growing percentage of battery electric vehicles.
For a small gasoline-powered car like the Picanto, that makes the future increasingly difficult.
The Picanto May Not Survive In Its Current Form
Paul Philpott, Kia’s U.K. boss, has openly warned that the Picanto has no future in its current form after 2029.
The small city car uses a 61-cubic-inch gasoline engine without electrification, and Kia currently has no plan to add a hybrid system to the model.
Under current rules, new combustion engine cars that remain on sale after 2030 will need some form of hybrid technology. From 2035, only fully electric new cars will be allowed on the British market.
Small Gasoline Cars Are Becoming Harder To Justify
Philpott admits Kia will either need to find a completely new replacement for the Picanto or leave the small city car segment.
That segment has already become difficult for many automakers. Development costs are high, profit margins are tight, and regulations keep getting stricter.
The problem is not only the future ban on traditional gasoline models. The current ZEV mandate is already forcing manufacturers to balance every gasoline car they sell against a rising share of electric vehicles.
The ZEV Mandate Changes Everything
In 2026, battery electric vehicles must account for 33% of new vehicle sales. In 2027, that requirement rises to 38%.
By the end of the decade, 80% of new vehicle sales will need to be fully electric.
That leaves very little room for a large number of gasoline models. Philpott said Kia will face difficult decisions between 2027 and 2030 as it reviews its full lineup.
Gasoline models directly make it harder to meet the ZEV targets and increase the risk of major financial penalties. Kia is currently staying within the rules thanks to stronger sales of electric and hybrid vehicles, but the pressure will grow quickly.
Kia May Prioritize Bigger Sellers
Philpott suggested Kia’s priority will likely be protecting the Sportage, one of the brand’s best-selling models in Britain.
If gasoline models are limited to only 20% of total sales, the Sportage alone could take up most of that allowed share. That would leave little room for smaller combustion engine models such as the Picanto.
The Picanto has been on sale for more than two decades and passed 250,000 sales in the U.K. by 2023. More than 13,500 examples were sold last year, showing that buyers still want small city cars despite the rise of crossovers.
If the Picanto is retired, its role could be taken by a new small electric hatchback Kia is preparing for Europe. That model is expected next year and may carry the EV1 name, sitting below the EV2 in Kia’s electric lineup.
Kia would then compete directly with small electric cars such as the Renault 5, Citroën e-C3, and Peugeot e-208. The Picanto’s uncertain future shows how quickly the market is changing, as long-lived gasoline city cars are pushed aside even when buyers still want them.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.