The company notes it will be selling customers their second and third EV when some rivals finally get in the game
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by Brad Anderson
April 17, 2024 at 15:02
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- The carmaker will have eight BEVs on sale in the U.S. by 2029.
- Multiple Kia models will be produced at the Hyundai Motor Group’s EV plant in Georgia.
- Kia will also soon start building the EV9 in the U.S.
Kia believes it has a significant advantage over rivals in the electric vehicle race and can bring affordable models to the market quicker than many others.
The South Korean marque currently has three EVs in its U.S. portfolio and that number will grow to eight by 2029. Two of Kia’s most important next vehicles will be the production-spec EV3 and EV4 which are scheduled to arrive in late 2025/early 2025 and 2026 respectively. According to Kia America chief operating officer Steve Center, other brands will need to start playing catch up to keep pace with Kia.
Read: 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line Is The Ultimate Family Electric SUV
“We’re ahead of most, and we’re trying to rush out ahead because our technology will be more evolved,” he told Auto News. “You can’t just jump in and catch up. You have to have your own R&D, your own secret sauce.”
Key to Kia’s expanded portfolio of BEVs in the U.S. will be the Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle and battery manufacturing complex near Savannah, Georgia. This site is scheduled to open in October and will build six EVs for the Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis brands. Kia will also soon shift production of the three-row EV9 to its upgraded factory in West Point, Georgia.
During his recent interview, Center noted that the $7,500 federal EV tax credit in the U.S. will be particularly important for households with lower income, whereas most EV early adopters are wealthier and often earn too much to get the credit.
“When you look at the market, the [current] buyers are wealthier, and their incomes phase them out of the rebate if they buy,” he said. “But if they lease the car, which most of them do anyway, they get the rebate. When you’re building affordable EVs in the U.S., the rebate will appeal more to households with less income.”
Center noted that Kia’s early-to-market approach will continue to pay dividends in the future and make it harder for other brands to get their foot in the door.
“Just because you’re great at something else doesn’t mean you’re going to be great at EVs,” he said. “If someone wants an EV, and their regular brand doesn’t have it, they’re going to have to look elsewhere. Right away, they will have to explore other brands. We will be selling Kia customers their second and third EV when some other companies finally get in the game — and they’re going to have to conquest.”
