Kia to supply Slovakian Police patrol fleet

Kia Motors has been appointed ‘Official Supplier’ to the Slovakian Ministry of the Interior and awarded the contract to supply locally-manufactured Kia vehicles to the country’s police forces until 2010.

The first batch of 43 cee’d police patrol cars were handed-over last week and a further 350 cee’d cars are scheduled for delivery later this year. Over the next three years, up to 4,000 Kia vehicles could be ordered as part of the Interior Ministry’s re-equipment programme.

Each cee’d patrol car will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be expected to cover up to 200km per day in the course of regular police duties.

“This significant fleet order from the Slovakia Republic is an endorsement of the design, quality and durability of the Kia cee’d,” commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

“Since its launch in Europe in December 2006, more than 80,000 cee’d hatchbacks have been delivered, and the car has played a key role in winning over new C-segment customers to the Kia brand.”

The Slovakian Police patrol cars will be manufactured at Kia’s first-ever plant in Europe which represents a €1 billion investment for the company. The 2,400 staff at Kia’s Zilina plant work two shifts and are already building three models. The factory will soon begin production of the pro_cee’d three-door, living up to its promise of becoming the most productive car manufacturing plant in Europe.