July 12 (Reuters) - Kia (000270.KS) said on Wednesday it will invest more than $200 million in its assembly plant in the U.S. state of Georgia to begin production of its electric EV9 SUV next year.
The Korean automaker said the company will add about 200 jobs to build the three-row SUV alongside four other models at the West Point, Georgia, plant.
It will be the first Kia electric vehicle assembled in North America and comes as automakers are shifting away from gas-powered vehicles.
A rising amount of electric vehicle (EV) and battery investments have been made in Georgia.
Hyundai separately broke ground in October on a $5.54 billion EV and battery plant in Georgia's Bryan County.
Persons:
Brian Kemp, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, Matthew Lewis
Organizations:
Kia, Hyundai Motor Group, SK, Korean, U.S, Hyundai, SK Innovation, Ford, Georgia, Thomson
Locations:
KS, U.S ., Georgia, Korean, Point , Georgia, North America, Georgia's Bartow County, Georgia's Bryan County, Commerce , Georgia, Washington